


Potion of Love

by van_maniac



Series: Potion of Love [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Consensual, Erotica, Fantasy, M/M, Merthur - Freeform, Romance, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-03
Updated: 2012-09-16
Packaged: 2017-11-13 11:57:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 75,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/503310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/van_maniac/pseuds/van_maniac
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur was the most eligible bachelor in Camelot. A village girl wants to become queen and with the help of a sorceress she sets her plan in motion slipping him a love potion, but what will happen if it doesn't go quite as expected? Slash ensues Merthur</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Plan

**Author's Note:**

> This story was my very first Merlin fanfic and story I ever completed. It was started on 01/18/12 and finished on 06/11/12. It was originally posted in LJ and now here. Second story of this series is already underway.

A cloaked figure made its way through the darkness into the dense forest beyond Camelot's gates. The figure reached a clearing and pulled back its hood, revealing long dark brown locks.

She was no more than 24 years of age and her simple pale blue dress showed that she was of a poor status. She looked around franticly as if expecting someone to be there. "Hello…uh I was told to come here and ask for..." a twig snapped behind her and she spun around.

"Come with me" hissed an old woman through her crooked teeth. Deeper into the darkness they went until they appeared in front of a small hut.

Once inside the old woman gestured to the young woman to sit on an ancient-looking stool. Without protest the young woman did as she was told. Grabbing a small vial that contained a purple liquid, the old woman stood in front of the young woman with her hand extended towards her. The young woman stared in confusion, and then realizing what she wanted she pulled out a golden strand of hair from underneath her cloak.

"I assume this is the King's hair" the old woman growled as she took the hair and proceeded to stick it in the vile.

"Of course, I took it off his brush myself" she replied her cheeks reaching a rosy red. She saw in amazement as the hair began to melt into the liquid causing it to turn to a dark red color.

The old woman closed the vial with a wooden cork and extended her hand again. The young woman took a small pouch from underneath her cloak and handed it to her. In return the old woman gave her the vial and stated, as clear as her rugged voice could muster, "The King will fall in love with the first person that he touches after drinking the potion."

She slipped the small vial into her cloak and left the hut. As she glimpsed back a gasp escaped her throat as her eyes fell upon nothing but trees. The hut seemed to vanish just as mysteriously as it had appeared.

Once she was back in Camelot, she made her way to the tavern where she had rented a room for the night.

XXX

Morning came too quickly for some as the castle moved with activity. Servants hurried with their daily tasks and the market bustled with people. The day was like any other day, or so it started off at first.

The King was paying close attention "or rather pretending" on his meeting with the council. Throughout the meeting, his mind kept wandering off to his incompetent servant who had failed to show up all morning and thus had made him late for his meeting he was now in.

He did not have the chance to storm into Gaius' chambers to demand that Merlin be brought out of his bed, which was probably where he was now. If the King was to be stuck in a boring meeting no matter how important the issue was his servant should by all means be doing something equally boring.

Today's topic was on whether to increase taxes or decrease rations and both options Arthur detested to even consider. The crops weren't doing so well due to the drought, the fields all but dried up. What little they could save was running low.

Things weren't as bad as when the unicorn curse had befallen Camelot, but then again that had been caused by magic, this was just nature's doing. Arthur asked to postpone the meeting for two days and by then he would have a decision on what had to be done. With a few grunts from the council the meeting was brought to an end.

Arthur marched straight to Gaius' chambers and did as he always did, bellowed Merlin's name so loudly that half the castle could hear it. As the door swung open, Arthur saw Gaius standing over his table of potions and brews. Gaius, with his glasses half way down his nose, looked up and commented "He is not here sire."

"Well, where is he?" he exclaimed, his impatience showing in his voice as he took a few steps into the room. He starred at Merlin's closed door as if willing it to open and reveal a sleeping Merlin.

"I thought he was with you sire," Gaius replied as he turned back to his brewing. Just then one of the colored liquids gargled under the fire and shot straight up and splattered all over the table.

"Well if he was then I wouldn't be here looking for him now would I," said Arthur as he made for the door, the last of his patience vanishing. Gaius just simply stated "I guess not sire," and proceeded to clean up the mess he had just created.

Arthur was half way down the corridor, when it occurred to him that Merlin did in fact spend too much time in the tavern and that was a good place as any to start looking. Spinning around he headed towards the Rising Sun and hopefully to Merlin.


	2. Missed Opportunity

As Merlin woke up from his sleep he opened his eyes as he raised his head from the table. He stared at the armor as if it was somehow out of place. Just then laughter broke out and he turned to see none other than Sir Gwaine, Sir Percival, and Sir Leon standing in the doorway to the armory.

Their laughter was soon replaced with grins as they walked towards Merlin. Shifting his weight Merlin got up from the bench and straightened his wrinkled clothes as much as he could, his high cheeks turning a slight red.

Sir Gwaine was the first to speak. "I guess I win the bet, you all owe me a round." He declared with pride. He slapped Merlin on the back as his grin grew wider, causing Merlin to lose his footing and stumble forward.

"Who knew you could be such a sound sleeper. We came in here earlier to get our equipment for practice and saw you completely knocked out on the table, "stated Sir Leon as he put back his maze and sword.

"We decided to make a bet and see if you would still be asleep once practice was over." explained Percival as he started to remove his armor.

Just then Merlin realized how late it was. "I must get going or Arthur will be lost all day on what to do with himself." He told the knights with a shy smile on his face. He took the armor that he had been polishing the night before and walked as quickly as his legs could carry him towards the direction of Arthur's chambers.

XXX

Arthur was just about to open the door to the tavern, when it occurred to him that being there was indeed a rare sight. How was he to explain his reason for being there let alone who he was looking for? The King going to the tavern to look for a servant was just unheard of.

Yelling at Merlin would just have to wait. After all he had plenty of time to see how Merlin, with his goofy grin, tried to explain his reason for not being on time again. He would have to teach him proper servant etiquette later by giving him tons more duties to attend to.

Just as he turned around to head back to the castle, he spotted Gwaine "or more like Gwaine spotted him". One of his silly grins splattered on his face as he trotted towards him. Once he was standing only inches from Arthur he grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

"What is the King doing at the Rising Sun? I thought you only went to those where no one knew who you were." Hinting at the first time they had met. Before Arthur could compose himself and remove Gwaine's hand he found himself inside.

XXX

The young woman sat in the tavern with the red vial in her hands. She shifted it back and forth with a frown on her face. She had only conjured on getting the potion that she had failed to think of a way to get the King to drink it. She looked around the tavern; the King would never be caught alive in such a place. It seemed like she would have to sneak into the castle once again.

Just then the door swung open and in stepped none other than King Arthur himself followed by a scruffy, but handsome looking man. The noise inside the tavern came to an abrupt stop as all eyes fell upon the King. The other man next to the King cleared his throat and demanded a pint of beer for him and his companion, as he made his way to his usual table. As the activities inside the tavern returned to normal, the King glanced around as if looking for someone.

Realizing the great opportunity that had just presented itself Evelyn's face brightened up. She immediately gestured for a bottle of wine. She uncorked the vial and emptied it into the bottle. Putting the cork back on the bottle, she rose from her seat and made her way to the King and his loud companion.

"My King will you be so kind as to accept this humble gift?" Evelyn asked as she presented the King with the bottle. She expected him to accept her offer or at least ponder on it, but the King just murmured something about procedures on receiving gifts and stood up to leave.

Gwaine grabbed the bottle and poured himself a cup. "You can't deny a gift from a pretty lady; here let me taste it for your ease of mind." And with that he gulped it down. He then grabbed his throat as if something was caught in it.

Arthur moved towards him, with a worried expression on his face. Which was quickly replaced with one of frustration as Gwaine burst out laughing saying," There is nothing wrong with it, it's just plain old wine." Arthur grabbed the wine bottle from the table and said a quick thank you to her before quickly leaving the tavern.

She cursed herself underneath her breath as she saw the fleeing back of King Arthur. What mess had she gotten herself into she wondered as she followed suit. It would have been easier to have sneaked into his chamber while he slept, and slipped the potion to him then.

XXX

Merlin pushed open the door to Arthur's chambers and walked in. He looked around for Arthur, but the room was empty and extremely messy. He put the armor on the table with a heavy thud, knocking over a pitcher of water that stood next to a plate of partly eaten meat and cheese. It must have been brought in by another servant when he had failed to show up.

His eyes flashed gold and the pitcher was suspended in midair between the table and the floor. Just then the door was pushed open and the sound of footsteps could be heard. "Merlin there you are." called Arthur as he closed the door behind him.

Merlin looked away from the pitcher and with a loud clang it broke into pieces, spilling the water everywhere. He turned around to face Arthur with a silly grin on his face. "Did you miss me that much that you had to come looking for me?" he asked.

"No, these are my chambers and I have a right to come and go as I please. What could be so important Merlin that you failed to show up all morning?" Arthur demanded as he put the bottle of wine on the table. In his anger and hurry to leave the tavern he had brought the blasted bottle with him and failed to give it to the guards to take it to have it tasted.

"I was polishing your armor last night and apparently fell asleep in the armory." replied Merlin. With his sheepish grin still on his face he bent down to clean up the mess.

"Apparently." Arthur replied sarcastically as he moved to pour himself a cup of wine. He drank it in one shot and then moved to pour himself another. Today had been a very frustrating day for him and he suddenly had an urge for alcohol. Merlin was just about to pick up the biggest piece of the broken pitcher when it slipped and cut his finger. Letting out a small cry of pain he dropped it.

"You really are clumsy Merlin." Arthur stated as he replaced the bottle back on the table along with the cup. He took a step closer to Merlin and demanded to see his hand. Turning it to inspect the cut he saw that it wasn't that deep. Just then he felt a slight tingle run through his hand and up his arm-to his chest. Merlin felt the same tingle in his hand. Thinking it was just the air hitting his open cut, Merlin thought nothing of it.

"Don't be such a girl Merlin; it's only a small cut. Go get Gaius to bandage it up and then come back and finish cleaning the room. You have a lot more things to do once you're done." Arthur said as he slowly let go of Merlin's hand, while avoiding any eye contact. He felt flustered and warm all of a sudden.

With that Merlin finished picking up the pieces of the pitcher and moved to leave the room. "Merlin." called Arthur, causing him to stop and turn around. "Get rid of this wine when you return and bring me a fresh pitcher of water to freshen up." With a nod unseen by Arthur, Merlin left the chambers and made his way to dispose of the broken pitcher and attend to his cut.


	3. It Begins

Arthur stood near the window staring down at the courtyard, still full of activity. His gaze followed one particular person, his manservant, as he scurried towards the physician's chamber. He exhaled slowly as he ran his hand across his face.

Stepping away from the window, he undid the top of his shirt; it was suddenly a little too tight. He paced his room, unable to stay still for a second. The meeting had been the only urgent thing on his agenda for the day, he had missed the knights training, and the letter he was expecting wasn't due till tomorrow at the earliest.

He heard footsteps outside his door, causing him to pause for a moment and stare as if waiting for someone to step inside. The footsteps got distant and he continued his pacing once more. Again he ran his hand across his face and through his hair, ruffling it as he went.

He was nervous, impatient, and edgy, but he didn't know why. The meeting had upset him, but he would be one step closer to solving the issues when his letter arrived. Gwaine had frustrated him to no end at the tavern and that still lingered on his mind, but it couldn't be the reason for his agitated state. Could it?

Merlin had been late, but he was soon to get his punishment when he returned. He planned to make his servant as miserable as he could. It wouldn't be called payback for nothing if he didn't get to torture his unsuspecting manservant. The thought brought a smile to his face as he moved to his desk.

He felt warm and his clothes seemed heavy and thick against his body. Sweat started to form on his forehead as he stared at the door again. Could his current condition been caused by the tingle he had felt earlier when he had touched Merlin's hand? He had touched Merlin before, but he had never felt such a sensation as he had moments ago.

He shook his head and blamed it on the alcohol. It was still quite early for wine and the heat must've added to his lightheadedness. Yes, all he needed was to freshen up and he would be back to his old self again. Parchments and scrolls were scattered all over the top of his desk. He took a seat and started to rummage through them, trying to find something to distract him from the heat rising from the pit of his stomach.

XXX

Merlin entered Gaius' chamber with a heavy sign. Gaius turned from his table and stared at the young warlock. Seeing the blood on Merlin's hand he moved towards him. "What in blazes happened?" he asked in shock. The cut looked far worse than it was, but Gaius didn't know it at first glance.

After inspecting the wound for a few seconds, he let go of Merlin's hand and moved to grab a cloth to wipe the blood away. "I dropped a pitcher and cut myself when I was trying to pick it up." Merlin explained with a bit of embarrassment. He really was clumsy.

Gaius cleaned the wound and applied slight pressure to stop the bleeding. He then applied some ointment and bandaged it up. Gaius returned to his table, but not before giving Merlin a worried look. "That should do it just don't add too much pressure to it. Also, don't go breaking any more pitchers will you. " He said as he corked a vile and put it with the rest sitting on the side of his work bench.

"Thanks Gaius, I really should get back to royal prat - I mean Arthur." And he turned to exit the room. Gaius stopped him and pointed to a few small bottles sitting on the table closest to the door. "Can you deliver those for me; I am still halfway through the medicines I have to make for today's run."

"Sure Gaius," shrugged Merlin as he smiled at his friend and grabbed the medicines. He left without another word. The royal prat would just have to wait a little longer. It wasn't like he was in a rush to start the endless chores Arthur would give him for being late anyways.

XXX

Evelyn sat on the edge of the water fountain in the courtyard. She had been sitting there for quite some time now and she was now convinced that she really was having a horrible day. She had gotten all the way into the castle, up to the King's chambers door, only to be denied entry. Her appearance was good enough to mistake her for a servant, but not good enough to earn her the opportunity to enter the King's chambers. It seemed only one servant was given that privilege.

Such servant had walked past her moments ago carrying something in his hands. She was unsure what to do now. So many questions were going through her head. Did she wait till night to sneak into the King's chambers, like she had only the night before? But what if it was too late? What if the King had already touched someone? She finally decided she would have to risk it and sneak in anyways.

Evelyn doubted the King would lay a hand on any female servant. After all, the only one he had ever had an eye for was far from Camelot at the moment. Everyone in Camelot knew about Arthur and Guinevere, the forbidden love made possible only to be crushed by betrayal.

"Idiot servant girl, but it's better for me, one less competition to worry about." She snickered to herself as she made her way back to her room at the tavern. She had to get ready, and it seemed she would be staying another day at that dinky place after all.

XXX

Merlin made his way to Arthur's chambers. His errands for Gaius having been finished and his wandering around the castle grounds could not be stretched out any further. He entered Arthur's chambers, without knocking, and headed to the washing stool. He poured the water into the bowl and set the pitcher on the table.

He moved towards the bed. Its current state was in need of his attention. He was halfway done with it when he heard Arthur clear his throat. He raised his gaze towards the King, but said nothing.

"How is your hand?" inquired Arthur as he dried his face with a cloth and moved towards the bed. He stopped by one of the columns and leaned on it trying to hide his concern for his idiot servant.

Merlin looked at his bandaged finger and replied with a smile forming on his face "It is good as long as I don't add to much pressure on it, at least that is what Gaius recommended." He couldn't help adding the last part.

"Well… then you better make sure you don't when you muck out my stables, wash my clothes, and polish my armor." Arthur smirked as he moved towards Merlin to give him a small push for added effect. Just then his heart skipped a beat as his hand made contact with Merlin's arm.

What the hell was that? He thought as he tried to move back, but his body wasn't listening to his brain. Arthur's breathing suddenly became low and shallow as he stared at Merlin, who was just inches away from him. His servant just stared back with his big blue clueless eyes.

"What?" Merlin asked as he threw the pillow on the bed. "I just polished your armor last night and you haven't even worn it yet." He ended as he turned back to the bed to finish fixing the sheets, a sign escaping his lips. Obviously Arthur was being his old self again by making him do something he had clearly just done the night before. As if mucking out the stables and washing his massive amount of dirty clothes wasn't enough punishment.

Arthur failed to reply to Merlin's response causing him to look back up at his King. "What's the matter, your brain still needs a few more minutes to think up of other duties for me to do?" Merlin commented, as he moved to step around Arthur to get to the other side of the bed.

He was brought to a halt by Arthur's hand on his arm. He looked at Arthur with one of his silly grins waiting to see what his comeback would be. For many years their friendship had consisted of silly banter and who could come up with the best comeback. It was one of the many things Merlin enjoyed when it came to Arthur.

Arthur just stood there perplexed as to why he had suddenly grabbed Merlin's arm. His heart skipped yet another beat and a frown started to form on his lips. He looked at Merlin's face and wondered why he was feeling strange again. His eyes fell on Merlin's lips and suddenly his own were too dry. He ran his tongue across them and stepped even closer to Merlin, his grasp never loosening.

"Arthur" Merlin called, first slowly and softly, then louder when Arthur failed to reply. They were so close to each other he could feel Arthur's breathe on his face. "Are you alright?" he asked as a look of concern formed on his face. Just then a tapping on the door ended the awkward silence and brought Arthur to his senses.

Letting go of Merlin, Arthur stepped back and cleared his throat for the second time. "Enter." Arthur said as he tried to gather his composure. Leon stepped inside, still in his armor, with a worried look on his face. "Sire, there is a commotion at the tavern that requires your attention."

"What could possibly happen at the tavern that would require my attention?" asked Arthur annoyed. "It's Gwaine, sire." Leon stated as he waited by the door with his hand resting on his sword. "Fine, let's go." Arthur declared, as he exited the room without a glance back. Now that his head had cleared up a bit, he was glad for any distraction from having to explain himself and what he had just been about to do.


	4. Unwanted Revelations

Merlin finished making the bed and made his way to the table. He picked up the dirty dishes and the bottle of wine. Making his way to the door he looked back and stared at the state of the room. He had another long day ahead of him. Balancing the dishes and bottle he opened the door and headed to the kitchen.

After disposing of the half eaten food and dirty dishes, he looked around unsure what to do with the bottle of wine. Everyone was busy with their duties that they paid no mind to Merlin. He squeezed his way between a table and a serving girl and set the bottle down in one of the tables. Then he changed his mind and was about to toss it when another serving girl bumped into him and caused him to drop the bottle.

It went crashing to the floor and spilled all over his feet. For the second time in one day Merlin broke something. The serving girl hadn't stopped; she was half way down the corridor with food on a platter. Merlin bent down and cleaned up his mess as best as he could with a bandaged finger.

The smell of the wine reached his nose and he quickly covered it with his hand. It smelled quite strong and odd. Merlin was no expert at wines, or any type of alcohol, but wondered how anyone could drink such a horrible smelly one.

Once done he made his way back to Arthur's room to finish cleaning. He gathered the dirty clothes that was scattered all over the room and dumped them into a basket. Piling the armor on top he made another slow, but steady trip to the armory and set the armor on the table for later. His arms ached from carrying the armor around twice in one day.

He wondered how his friend Gwaine was, Arthur had left with Leon because of a commotion at the tavern. He hoped he didn't get into another bar fight. Gwaine really was a magnet for trouble. Merlin shook his head at the dirty clothes, which was in dire need of washing. Sighing again he stumbled through the corridors of the castle with the basket of dirty clothes. It seemed he had been sighing quite a lot today and the day was not even half way done.

XXX

Arthur and Leon made their way to the Rising Sun. Gwaine was known for his love for alcohol and gambling. The King entered the tavern and almost stumbled on a fallen chair. The whole room was a mess. Tables were overturned, chairs scattered all over and some even broken. Evoric, the barkeeper, was behind his counter holding on to some bottles as if they were life itself.

They made their way to the center of the room were the commotion was the loudest. Some of the men, who weren't fighting among themselves, had formed a circle blocking any view of who was inside. They were cheering loudly and waving their arms in the air.

Leon and two guards, who had been waiting outside the tavern, made way and cleared some men away to allow Arthur to pass through. As Arthur laid his eyes on the two men inside the circle he frowned even more. "Gwaine" Arthur yelled with disapproval. Gwaine stopped his advances on the other man and turned towards the king, which rewarded him with a punch on the face. He fell backwards and laughed as he turned his attention back to his attacker.

As Arthur made to grab Gwaine by the neck and drag him outside, he bumped right into a woman. His hand landed on her breasts. Time seemed to stop as his face turned red and he moved his hand away from the soft exposing skin of the woman.

Recognition appeared on his face, he remembered the woman as the one who had given him the bottle earlier. He quickly apologized and stepped aside to get to Gwaine. This was the second time Gwaine had caused him to embarrass himself. He was now pulsing with anger; he was going to kill Gwaine.

"What is going on here?" demanded the King as he pulled Gwaine to his feet. Just then the tavern became silent once again, like the last time he had been here. In the commotion the men hadn't noticed the King's presence.

The other man Gwaine had been in a brawl with spoke up. "Sire, I was only demanding that this ruffian pay me back my share. He cheated." The man pointed a finger at Gwaine. Arthur noticed the cards and dice on the floor and turned his attention to Gwaine.

"I do not cheat, it isn't my fault he is a horrible player. I won the money fair and square." Gwaine stated as he fixed his ruffled clothes. Slapping Arthur's hand away he continued" I didn't need any help; I had the situation under control."

"Under control," Arthur spoke under his breath. He turned his attention to the other drunken men and ordered for the damages to be paid to the bar keeper.

"Attacking a knight is like attacking Camelot itself and me, your King. You will be confined in the dungeons for one full day and be happy it won't be for much longer." Arthur declared as he waved a hand towards the man and called for the guards to detain him. Everyone stepped back and returned to their places, none of them fancied a day in the dungeons.

The guards dragged the man, who was quite shocked to learn that Gwaine was a knight of Camelot. With no trouble they were out of the tavern and to the dungeons. Arthur glared at Gwaine and Leon with a killing look in his eyes and moved to the bar keeper.

He told him that he would pay for half of the damages and to send the bill up to the castle. It had involved one of his knights so the responsibility fell upon him to correct the issue. With that taken care of he returned to the castle with Leon and Gwaine in toll. He had every intention to lecture Gwaine to no end.

Back inside the tavern Evelyn sat on one of the few stools still sitting upright. She had been drawn into the bar fight as she had entered the tavern earlier. She had stepped aside, away from the flying objects and fists. When the King had approached the group of wild men her eyes had opened wide. The King had been about to touch Gwaine.

In a moment's thought she had thrown herself into his path to find the King's hand on her breasts. A wicked smile formed on her face as she declared victory. The King was hers and she would be Queen within a few days.

She rose and followed the king out of the Rising Sun. "Sire, I was wondering if I could get a position in the castle. I can do any type of work." Evelyn blurted out as she moved to cut the King off.

When the King replied with silence she played the pity card. "Sire, I just arrived last night in hopes of getting a job here. But I have been unable to find one and I am all out of money to pay for the room I have in the tavern. Please sire, I am willing to do any type of job."

The image of Merlin's cut hand suddenly flashed across Arthur's mind. It didn't look that bad, but Gaius had recommended that he not put too much pressure on it. So with the best wishes for his manservant and no desire whatsoever to spend more time with him, he nodded.

The King told her to present herself to him in an hour. He walked away and when he, Leon, and Gwaine were inside the castle Arthur spun around and pointed a finger at Gwaine, his face red with anger. Arthur backed Gwaine up to the wall giving him a hard lecture on what had happened and where he stood on it. He stormed off to his chambers wondering if Merlin was still there.

Gwaine turned to Leon and threw his anger at the poor knight. "Why did you call Arthur? I didn't need any saving, especially from his Highness." He declared as he stormed off the opposite direction of the King. Leon followed slowly behind not knowing what to say, but happy the commotion was over.

XXX

Merlin was all wet, his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows but still they had gotten soaked. His front lower half was also soaked with soapy water. His hair had managed to get partially wet as well. He shook his hair and stared at the now clean clothes. He had finished washing them and they were now hanging to dry.

Grabbing his only dry item of clothes, his jacket, he made his way to the stocks. There were still lots of work to be done before he was needed in Arthur's chambers. It was now past midday and his stomach growled for attention. He hadn't eaten anything.

Gaius spotted Merlin on his way back from the market and stopped the poor wet soul. "Why is it Merlin that whenever I see you, you always manage to get yourself into these types of predicaments?" He grabbed a dry part of Merlin's sleeve and dragged him towards their room.

"Come change your clothes before you catch a cold." Gaius ordered. He was done delivering the potions he had finished and needed to brew just two more. "You even wet the bandage on your cut and is that blood on it?" he asked as he closed the door behind his very wet, very cold friend.

"I spilled some wine on it." Merlin replied as he moved to his room. He closed the door and started to strip his wet clothes. "Arthur has the worst taste in wine, it smelled disgusting and I even got some on my boots. " He stated just loud enough for Gaius to hear him through the door.

After a few moments Merlin was free of his wet clothes and had on a clean dry set. He put his boots on and stepped back into Gaius' room. "They are the only pair. I don't think the stains will ever come off. " He continued as he looked down at himself and wondered how long his clothes would stay clean this time.

"Let me see one, I might be able to make something that can remove the stain." Gaius commented as he extended his hand. Merlin removed one of his boots and handed it over. Gaius examined the stain, moved the boot close to his nose, and smelled it. His eyebrow suddenly shot up, but he said nothing and handed the boot back to Merlin.

Putting his boot back on and his coat, he asked "Do you think you might be able to remove it then?" Gaius just stared blankly at one of his shelves that contained too many books and nodded a halfhearted "Oh sure." Merlin moved to exit the room only to be stopped by Gaius. "You can't go yet I have to bandage that wound with a clean cloth. It will get infected if you leave the dirty bandages on." With a clean bandage and one final look at himself Merlin left to tackle the stables. Gaius returned his attention to his potion brewing only pausing every so often to stare at his many books with a distant gaze in his eyes.

XXX

Arthur had returned to his chambers only to be welcomed with silence. Merlin was nowhere and his dirty dishes and clothes were gone. Even the blasted armor was gone too. He hadn't expected Merlin to clean it again he had only thrown that in to tease him more.

He cursed himself. He hadn't thought Merlin would be so eager to get to his duties done. He had been filled with guilt all the way back from the tavern and had been in a hurry to tell him of the help he would assign to him. Now he couldn't very well walk around the castle looking for him again. No he had pride; he would wait in his chambers for him to return. He sat back down on his desk and stared at the closed door.

A bloody hour, that is how long he waited and Merlin was still not back. He stood up and made his way to the throne room. He had a prior engagement and he wasn't about to break it, not even for Merlin. He entered the throne room and sat on his throne rather reluctantly. A few moments later the woman from the tavern entered and introduced herself as Evelyn.

Evelyn stood in front of the King; an hour should have been plenty of time to activate the spell. She played her pity card again as she explained her reason for coming to Camelot. She told him she was from a village in the outskirts of Camelot and that she had heard of the great prosperity here.

Arthur raised his hand to silence her and descended his throne. He stood a fair distance from her with his hands behind his back and told her that she would be a servant at the castle. Her duties would require for her to wash his clothes and sheets. She would be handed such items to wash by his manservant Merlin, who then she would return to him once cleaned.

He excused her and sat back down on his throne fighting an urge to run his hand across his face and hair. The reminder of how Merlin's lips looked like suddenly crossed his mind. He wanted nothing but to be back in his room incase Merlin returned.

Evelyn paused for a moment with uncertainty on her face and then she bowed and exited the throne room. Once the doors were closed behind her she went into a fidget of tantrums. The guards outside the throne room gave her odd looks but remained still. She gave one final curse and left. Someone had touched the King before her, she was now certain of it.

The king had shown no interest in her. He had stayed far away from her and had even given her a ridiculous chore of washing his clothes and sheets. She should be getting him out of them and into his sheets - not washing them!

She stomped her feet all the way outside and across the courtyard. Someone had taken her King from her and she was not going to go without a fight.


	5. A Very Steamy Bath

Merlin stood in the entry of the stables reluctant to start cleaning. He stared at the manure and then back at his clean clothes. There was no way out of it, orders were orders and if Arthur expected his stalls to be clean then they had to be. He didn't want Arthur to pull one of his fits again or he would never hear the end of it.

Taking the rake he moved further into the stalls. A guard came up behind Merlin and surprised him, causing him to almost drop the rake right onto a pile of manure. "The King has requested your presence in his chambers." He said and left without waiting for a reply from Merlin.

Putting the rake back against the wall he exited the stalls and headed towards the King. What now, he thought as he entered the chambers again without knocking. He never really understood the purpose of that.

Arthur was standing near the fireplace; he turned at the sound of the door opening. A smile formed on his face as he laid eyes on his servant. "What took you so long? I know you don't eat Merlin, but for one I am the King and I need nourishment." He commented wanting to sound angry but coming out teasing, the smile still plastered on his face not helping any. Then his smile vanished and his eyes darkened for a moment, just a moment, as he lowered his gaze to Merlin's lips.

Merlin had forgotten that he had his normal duties to attend to besides the ones the condescending brat had thrown on him as punishment for being late this morning. "Of course, sire. I will bring it right away." He replied and moved to leave. He was too tired and hungry to play with him at the moment.

"I will be eating in the dining hall today." Arthur commanded and dismissed Merlin with a wave of his hand. Taking a sit on his chair he stared at the unlit logs in the fireplace. After a few moments he ran his fingers across his own lips. His mind was somewhere distant. Shaking his head he rose and left, but instead of heading to the dining hall he went straight to Gauis chambers.

Standing outside Gaius' door, he knocked on it. "Come in" came the response from inside and without waiting for another reply, Arthur entered. The King looked at Merlin's closed door.

"He is not here sire." Gaius stated as he looked up from the piles of books now scattered all over his table and floor near his feet. Arthur was unsure what to say and then decided to get the visit over and done with. "Gaius, I need something for my uh…. ailment."

Gaius raised his eyebrow at the King, who still hadn't stepped more than two feet from the door. "Of course, sire. Let me see what I have." He rose from his stool and stepped over to one of his shelves. "What are the symptoms, sire?" He asked as he looked over his shoulder at the rather healthy King.

Arthur remained silent at the question as he thought of the reply in his head wording it carefully. "I start to sweat, my chest feels tight, and my heart beats rapidly. I seem to be out of breath at times." Arthur says leaving the hot part out as his gaze wanders away from Gaius to Merlin's door again.

"Sire that is normal due to the intense heat we have been getting. I recommend that you avoid tedious activity and postpone training the knights until you start feeling better." Gaius calmly stated with his physician tone and grabbed a small bottle with yellow liquid. He handed it to the king and told him to take it three times a day. "Let me know if the symptoms go away or get worse, sire."

"Thank you Gaius." And with one final quick glance at Merlin's closed door he stepped out. Heading to the dining hall where his food was most likely to be waiting for him. He tightened his grasp on the bottle and increased his pace.

XXX

Merlin placed Arthur's plate in front of him and moved to pour him his drink. Arthur had entered the dining hall and taken his seat without much of a word. Merlin thought that he was still mad at him for being late today; he had thrown Arthur's schedule off by a few hours.

As he was moving the pitcher away from Arthur's goblet, his hand was suddenly held in place by Arthur's hand. Looking up at the King he whispered "Arthur." He didn't want to bring any attention to them; the guards were standing only a few feet behind Arthur's chair.

Arthur just stared at the flesh where his hand rested. The pale ivory skin was so tantalizing and he found his throat too dry. He did not fancy any whine or liquid to quench his thirst, he was unsure what exactly he craved. After what seemed like forever he raised his gaze and stared at the sapphire pools of Merlin's eyes unable to speak. His stomach was too tight for food now, his skin felt too warm and his clothes rested against his chest heavily.

"Arthur" Merlin whispered again trying to move his hand away, after the King failed to retract his, but to no avail. Arthur tightened his grasp. He wasn't ready to let go of such rough but delicate skin. "Are you ok?" Merlin inquired, his friend hadn't been acting quite himself for a few hours now. "Want me to get Gaius?" With the mention of the physician Arthur let go of Merlin's hand and replied in a much angrier tone then he intended, "No, I am fine."

"You can go." Arthur replied setting his food aside and leaning against his chair. Merlin put the pitcher down near his reach and turned to move. Arthur ran his hand over his hair and face. He was beginning to fear his situation. First he found Merlin's lips enticing and then his skin, yearned for his touch. If it was Gwen he would understand perfectly what he was feeling, but Merlin was not Gwen and he was definitely not female.

With one deep sigh that sounded more like a growl he rose from his seat and took two giant steps towards Merlin. He grabbed him by the arm and pulled him through the now open doors and past the guards standing outside. Halfway done the hallway Merlin yanked his arm from Arthur's hand and stopped. "What is wrong with you Arthur?" he asked as he looked at his friend with a very worried, very Merlin look.

Arthur just stood there restraining the urge to grab Merlin, throw him over his shoulders, and finish the march to his chambers. Instead he regained his composure and said with a calm, at least he hoped was a calm tone, "Well, aren't you coming? What is the point of having a personal servant if such servant is never around to attend me?" And with that he was off again leaving a confused Merlin behind. After a few seconds he could hear Merlin's footsteps behind him and he fought a smile from his face.

Arthur entered his chambers followed closely behind by Merlin. He sat in one of his many chairs around his table and just stared at Merlin. Merlin was unsure what to do and just stood near the door. "Well?" Arthur said as he moved his hand towards his changing screen and then back to the table to uncork the medicine Gaius had given him. He quickly drank some of it.

Merlin just looked towards it unsure what the King wanted. "My bath, Merlin, I desire to bath." Arthur yelled and drank the rest of the medicine. He was suddenly too hot for his liking and he wanted to be rid of whatever this ailment was. Merlin moved to get the bath and rolled his eyes. "Makes one wonder what you were doing to require a bath so early." Merlin said under his breath.

"What was that Merlin?" Arthur called out having not quite heard what Merlin had said. "Nothing, sire." Merlin grinned back as he struggled with the bath. It was ridiculously heavy. He then left to get the water.

After many trips, the bath was full to an acceptable level. Arthur then moved behind the screen and started to discard his clothes. Merlin used this moment to chant his usual spell to heat the water. " _Onhaete pa waeter!_ "!His eyes flashed gold and in seconds the water was boiling and steam was rising from the bath.

He poured some cold water, dipped a finger to test the temperature of the water and stepped back to admire his work. If only Arthur knew what he could do, he wouldn't consider him such a useless servant or he would be beheaded or burned before he could say you're welcome. He wasn't up to testing which one it would be.

Arthur stepped out of the screen with a towel wrapped around his hips. He moved to get in the bath and stopped with one foot in and one out. "You plan on joining me Merlin?" He teased as he moved the rest of the way in. "Right" Merlin said sarcastically and moved to leave. He still had the stables to muck out before he headed back to Gaius' in hopes of eating something.

Arthur's body chose to act on its own just then, and he grabbed Merlin and pushed him into the bath before he could blink his eyes. Merlin stumbled into the bath and was completely soaked in the process. He stood in the water and could do nothing by gawk at Arthur. He couldn't believe he was being so childish. Sure he had poured a bucket of cold water over his head before, even wiped a wet dirty cloth on his face, but this was on a whole new level.

"Arthur you are a…" Merlin yelled losing his patience only to be cut off by a pair of lips roughly pressed against his. He blinked and tried to move back only to be held in place by one of Arthur's strong hands on his back. They were Arthur's lips that were pressed against his, it was Arthur's tongue trying to gain entry to his mouth, and the hands now running up his back under his wet shirt were also Arthur's.

He shifted and pressed one of his pale hands on Arthur's toned bare chest. He tried to speak his protest but it turned out to be a grave mistake. In the brief moment his lips parted Arthur's tongue pushed past his lips and began exploring the inside of his mouth.

Arthur's tongue continued to explore Merlin's mouth greedily. The warmth and sweet taste made Arthur groan and it caused his lower body to get even hotter. He moaned with pleasure and pulled Merlin closer, pressing his hips against his servants' thighs as he continued to ravage his mouth. He didn't want to think about what he was doing nor was he ready to let Merlin go. He just knew his condition was getting worse and at the same time better.

Merlin closed his eyes and then opened them again hoping he was only imagining it. He was struggling to breathe as Arthur continued to press their lips together. He could feel Arthur's hardness press against his thighs and his body went rigid. Merlin panicked. Arthur's eyes were still closed in the passion of his kisses and in a brief moment Merlin's eyes went gold and Arthur was pushed back. Merlin quickly closed his eyes to hide the golden glaze still lingering in his eyes.

"What are you playing at Arthur?" Merlin yelled once he had his breathing controlled. He quickly stepped back, his knees hitting against the edge of the bath and causing him to tumble backwards. Arthur moved to grab him but the water slowed his movement and Merlin landed with a loud thumb on the floor. His back hurt but he was just glad to be out of the bath and out of Arthur's grasp. Before Arthur could stop him, he got up and exited the room as quickly as his wet tired limps could carry him, leaving a very puzzled, very aroused, and very shocked Arthur behind.


	6. In an Attempt to Fix it

Merlin had run from Arthur's room and hadn't stopped until he was standing outside the physician's door. He was out of breath and shaking as he entered. He sat down on one of the tables closest to the door as his legs gave way. He quickly covered his lips with the back of his hand in an attempt to stop them from quivering.

Gaius looked up from his book and as he laid his eyes on his friend he replied with shock "What happened to you now?" Merlin started to shake even more and was unable to reply, the only word that managed to escape his lips was "Arthur."

"Oh I see." Gaius commented as he rose from his stool and moved to the pot that was still on the fireplace. He knew that Arthur could get carried away but he could not understand why Merlin let it get to him. "Come now you must be hungry, I didn't have any time to make anything, but there is some leftover stew from last night." He continued as he set a bowl in front of Merlin and placed his hands on his wet shoulders and turned him around.

"After you're done eating go change into something dry and come back so I can rebadge your wound. And for goodness sake Merlin stop getting wet or the castle will find itself in a shortage of bandages before the day is out." Gaius stated as he turned his attention back to the page he was reading misinterpreting the situation completely.

Merlin stared at the food, he was sure he wouldn't be able to eat anything since his stomach was making catapults. He picked up the spoon anyways and took a bite. He didn't have the heart to correct Gaius and explain what had happened in Arthur's chambers. His stomach seemed to settle down as it remembered it was hungry so he ate in silence.

Finishing the food Merlin got up and went into his room shutting the door behind him, but not before murmuring a "thank you" to Gaius. After removing his wet clothes Merlin decided to change into his sleeping clothes. He wasn't about to risk dirtying another pair.

Merlin lay on his bed too tired to do anything else. He lay on his side and pulled his knees towards his chest and stared at the wall in front of him. His eyes filled up with tears that threatened to escape and run down his cheeks.

Everything that had just happened played across his mind. The memories were all jumbled up and he couldn't' wrap his thoughts around them fast enough. He grabbed the sides of his head as he continued to ponder on what had happened.

He remembered Arthur's body tightly pressed against his own, their lips glued together, and his hands as they moved inside Merlin's shirt caressing his back. Merlin remembered how they felt on his skin, hot yet demanding. He could still feel Arthur's lips pressed against his and the taste of his tongue. Running a finger across his own lips he felt they were hot and slightly swollen.

He turned on his back and then to his other side. He couldn't sleep. His body, though tired, was too hyped on the memories of what Arthur tasted and felt like. Blushing slightly as he remembered the heat and hardness between Arthur's legs as he had pressed against him. It was too much for Merlin to process so he left his room and decided to distract himself by figuring out what Gaius was researching.

XXX

Arthur was still standing in the bath unable to move long passed since the doors had closed behind his wet manservant. His mind was struggling with the fact that he had just kissed Merlin. Not to mention on the lips and not just that he had groped and rubbed himself against his thighs like a dog in heat. He stared down at himself and he groaned as he saw he was still hard.

Deciding that chasing after Merlin practically naked and with his current condition was not the best way to fix the mess he had just created. He sunk into the now almost cold water and finished his bath. He was still unable to cool himself down and with one final hesitation he moved his hand down into the water.

Wrapping his hand around his thick shaft he moved it back and forth with great vigor. Soon he was sweating and his hair tipping into the water as he came, Merlin's name escaping his lips. Getting out of the water he changed into his clothes, opened the door to his chambers, ordered the guards to have a servant come empty his bath, and left.

Arthur felt a bit embarrassed knowing what he had done in it, but he was the King he couldn't ponder on it too long. He had to find Merlin and apologize to him. Arthur didn't want to think on what he would have done to his manservant had Merlin not left.

Standing outside Gaius' door for the third time in one day Arthur opened it without bothering to knock. He was in hurry to find Merlin and he didn't want his knocking to alert him and give his servant time to hide. Again he was met with a closed door to Merlin's room and a tired Gauis looking over his books.

"Sire, did the potion work?" inquired Gaius as he removed his glasses and looked up at the King. "Uh, it is too early to tell." The King lied. "Is Merlin here, I have an important matter to discuss with him." Arthur declared as he walked a few steps towards Gaius and Merlin's door with every intention of breaking the door down if he had to.

"Sorry Sire, he left a while ago and hasn't been back. Did something happen?" Gaius pried hoping the King would get sidetracked, believe his statement and retreat. Tips of Merlin's hair were showing above his hiding spot and Gaius was unsure if Arthur had seen them.

"No, nothing just let him know that I am looking for him will you Gaius." Arthur replied as he put Merlin's jacket on one of the seats, he had found it resting on his own table in his chambers. And with that he walked defeated back to his chambers.

XXX

Merlin peered over Gaius' bed at the retreating figure of Arthur and rose from behind it as the door closed behind him. He turned to Gaius. "Why did you tell Arthur I wasn't here?" Merlin whispered with a questioning look on his face. "Well the way you flew over my bed and hid behind it I figured you were still mad at him and didn't want to see him." Gaius replied as he put his glasses back on.

"Was I wrong? I am sure I can still call him back." Gaius teased as he turned back to his books. Merlin said nothing only walked towards his room in an attempt to shut himself inside once again. He wanted nothing but to sit on his bed and mope for the rest of the day. Gaius cleared his throat and interrupted his thoughts.

"I think the King has been put under a spell, a magical one." Gaius called out before Merlin had a chance to close the door. "Merlin..." He paused as he saw Merlin stop and move back into the main room. With two red teary eyes Merlin asked "What makes you say that?" Hope stirred in his heart. If Arthur was reacting the way he was out of his own control then their friendship could still be saved.

"What kind of spell?" Merlin inquired again once Gaius failed to reply fast enough. "I am not sure." Gaius stated as he turned the page in the current book he had in front of him.

"The stain on your boot there has a very distinct smell to it that reminded me of an herb, one used in magical concoctions." Gaius explained as he pointed at Merlin's boots, the wine stains clearly visible against the faded brown.

"I have been trying to find the herb and its name to see what type of spells or potions it was used for. So far I have come up short. My memory isn't what it used to be." The physician finished as he looked up at Merlin hoping that maybe the young warlock knew something more that could shed some light to identifying the herb.

"What can I do to help?" Merlin asked as he moved to the side of his friend. "Nothing at the moment I'm afraid. We can't tell Arthur that someone tried to give him a magical potion without proof or without more information on what it was intended for." Gaius said with a sigh.

"Did he drink any of it Merlin?" He asked after a few moments of silence had passed between them. Merlin just shrugged. "It is possible. One of the cups in Arthur's room had some wine in it." Merlin commented. He had been busy picking up the broken pitcher to pay attention to Arthur.

"Well then have you notice any strange behavior or anything at all that would make you believe he isn't in his right mind?" Gaius pried again as he turned yet another page from the book. It would take him days to go throw all these books. If the King had taken the potion he might not have days, maybe not even hours before whatever the potion was took effect.

Merlin's eyes went wide; his hand touched his lips as he remembered the kiss. A blush crossed his face as he spoke a simple "No" and looked away in an attempt to hide it. There was no way Merlin was going to tell Gaius that Arthur had kissed him even if it meant being one step closer to narrowing the potion down. He trusted Gaius to find the herb.

"Merlin I need you to run down to the archives and find me a book on ancient herbs and concoctions. It might bring better results than the ones I have here." Gaius said as he scribbled the name of the book in a piece of parchment and handed it to Merlin.

Merlin stared at the piece of parchment and then grabbed it and hurried on his way. He wasn't about to tell Gaius how Arthur was acting towards him, but he was in no way against getting his old Arthur back. As he was leaving his eyes fell on his jacket. He must have left it back at Arthur's chambers, with a nervous smile he put it on and left.

As Merlin entered the archives he saw Geoffrey on his usual desk with books and scrolls scattered all over it. He nodded in Geoffrey's direction acknowledging him and heading to the section he hoped the book was in. After what seemed like an eternity of searching he found it high on one of the shelves, too far from his reach. He tried climbing the shelves but only managed to cause a few books to tumble to the floor.

Picking the fallen books and putting them back on the shelf he peered around the corner of the shelf. Geoffrey was still at his desk and satisfied that the noise he had made hadn't brought him unwanted attention he went back to the book. Merlin's eyes flashed gold and the book fell from its place on the shelf and to the ground. Picking up the book Merlin returned to Gaius with a victory smile on his face.

He handed Gaius the book with the smile still plastered on his face. "Took me forever but I found it. Why is it that all the important books are always on the top shelf?" Merlin muttered as he dusted off the remaining spider webs still clinging to his hair.

Gaius replied with a smile of his own and grabbed the book. It was a very thick and heavy book; it would take a few hours to search through all its contents. "Go to bed Merlin, you have a long day tomorrow. I will wake you if I find it before then." Gaius commanded as he shooed Merlin to his room.

"Are you sure?" Merlin asked as he looked at his tired friend. He must have been looking at those books for hours now. "Yes, you don't know how it looks so you're practically useless to me at the moment." Gauis reassured his friend once more.

Merlin did as he was told and lay on his bed, the light from the stars staring at him through his open window. He didn't want to think of what he would do tomorrow. He had to face Arthur and in some way keep the incident that happened today from repeating itself. At the same time he had to pry into the events that lead Arthur to possess a wine laced with a magical potion.

Pulling up the sheets around him Merlin fell into slumber. His dreams were full of Arthur and the feel of him against his own skin. Arthur kissed Merlin pushing him to his bed and following suite. He ran his fingers along Merlin's naked body up to his cheek then lips. Arthur's fingers were replaced by his own lips as he pushed his tongue into Merlin's mouth pressing their bodies closer together.

Merlin could feel Arthur hard against his legs. Arthur groaned with desire as he parted Merlin's legs with his knee and positioned himself in between his shaking legs. Lifting Merlin's hips he pushed inside whispering sweet words into Merlin's ear.

"Merlin wake up" Gaius yelled behind his closed door bringing Merlin crashing into reality and away from his dream. Followed by an "I found it," Gaius stormed into Merlin's room causing him to sit up. Daylight hitting his face, Merlin wiped at his eyes and stared at Gaius with a puzzled look on his face. "What?" he said still groggy from his sleep and then clutched the sheets and lifted his knees towards his chest as the realization of his wet dream hit his now conscious mind.


	7. Start of a Journey

"This is it!" Gaius exclaimed as he pointed at the picture of the herb in one of the pages of the book Merlin had fetched for him. "Come on get up and get dressed we have lots of work to do before you go attend to Arthur." The physician stated happily as he threw Merlin a shirt from the many laying around his room and went back to his table.

Merlin stared down at his erection; he could see it through his thin clothes. Why had he had that type of dream about Arthur and why in the world had his body reacted to it? He bolted from the bed when his mind failed to present him with an answer and looked franticly for his clothes. Picking up a fairly clean set he moved to change. Once he was dressed and his lower body had calmed down, he opened the door and stepped out.

"It says here that the herb was often used for concoctions of extreme difficulty and skill. It was used mainly for potions of entrapment and of the heart." Gaius trailed off as he remembered the King's words on his visit the day before. "A love potion, now that makes sense." Gaius concluded as he slapped his hand on the book and removed his glasses setting them down.

"Merlin, the King was in here yesterday. He asked for something for his ailment. When I asked him what the side effects were he clearly explained those shown by a person suffering from extensive heat exposure." Gaius said as he looked back at the page with the herb on it. "But now that we know someone tried to slip him something, those effects could easily be due to the potion as well."

"How do we get rid of it? How do we stop it?" Merlin asked now that his own suspicions had been confirmed. Arthur was in fact under a spell and a love one to top it off. Everything that had happened the day before suddenly made sense. Merlin felt his face get red as he reached the conclusion that Arthur was in love with Merlin, or at least he thought he was due to the potion.

"I don't know there are quite a few love potions that use this herb, you will have to narrow it down." Gaius replied as he continued reading. "It mentions here that this herb's side effect include prolong effects of the spell or potion used and very hard to remove."

"That could prove to be troublesome." Merlin stated. "Not to mention that there are about 636 love spells that we know of" Complained Merlin as he moved to wash up. Gaius just shrugged and moved back to his mess. "I don't know Merlin but let's hope it comes to us." The day had just begun and they didn't' have much time. There was no way of knowing if the spell would stay permanent or if it required to be reversed in a specific time after it was consumed.

Merlin moved about in a hurry. Everything that he had gone through yesterday seemed meaningless now. Finding a cure far outweighed the embarrassment that would come today when he faced Arthur again. Merlin tried to calm himself by reminding himself that all he had to do was keep his distance from Arthur.

"You will be late; you better get a move on Merlin" Gauis called out to Merlin as he moved about cleaning his mess. "I will see what I can find in the meantime." He said to Merlin's back. "Thanks Gaius." And with that Merlin was gone.

XXX

Merlin paused outside of Arthur's chambers. He was carrying Arthur's breakfast, an array of meats, sausage, and cheese. After a few questioning stares from the guards for his hesitation, he opened the door and stepped inside. Merlin's eyes scanned the room until they rested on Arthur. The King lay under the covers sound asleep, his blond hair sticking in all directions.

With a sign of relief Merlin set the plate down on the table and moved to open the curtains. Merlin was in no hurry to wake Arthur so he took his time. After reassuring himself that Arthur's actions the day before had been caused by the love potion he had unsuspectingly taken, Merlin turned around and called out "Rise and shine, your highness." A hint of teasing could be heard in Merlin's voice, he couldn't blame his friend no matter how much he tried and found himself forgiving the King before he was even fully awake.

Arthur just replied with a grunt. The sleepy King turned his face in the other direction, away from the sunlight and then covered his face with a pillow when his action failed to block out the light. The realization of what had happened the day before and the fact that Merlin was in his chambers hit Arthur hard and quick, he bolted from the bed.

"Merlin," Arthur yelled as he rushed to his manservant and grabbed him by the shoulders. Merlin flinched from the pressure, but stood still, he wanted this part over and done with. "I am sorry Merlin, I wasn't thinking." Arthur claimed as his eyes met Merlin's. The King held his breath as his eyes scanned Merlin's face in fear of what his manservant's reaction would be.

"I know" Merlin replied with a grin moving his gaze away from the King and resting on anything but the bare chest in front of him. His heart was threatening to beat out of his chest and he hoped Arthur couldn't hear it. He couldn't understand why Arthur's half nakedness bothered him. He had seen his friend practically naked many times. "You do?" Arthur said shocked as he slowly let Merlin go, utter relief showing on his face.

"Yes, you're an idiot and your brain doesn't always work as it should." Merlin stated as he moved about the room picking up dirty clothes from the floor and frowning when he saw the state of Arthur's wardrobe. He really wondered how Arthur did it to get the room in such a mess in so little time. "Besides, the heat gets to us all. I forgive you Arthur, it's forgotten, and can we not talk about it anymore." Merlin ended the conversation and started to pick out Arthur's clothes for the day.

"The heat, right…" Arthur whispered to himself as he looked at Merlin. He could feel the same heat sneaking up on his body, the desire he had when he had kissed his servant. Clenching his fists he moved to his changing screen. He had to control whatever this was; he couldn't risk losing Merlin as his friend.

Merlin handed Arthur his red shirt and black trousers. It was awkward between them and neither knew what to say. Arthur changed in silence and then moved from behind the screen to the bed to put his boots on. Merlin moved towards the King once he was done with his boots to tie the lace on his shirt and put his belt on. Both let out a small gasp as Merlin's arms went around Arthur's waist and both missed the fact that the other had done so. For a moment time seemed to stop as Merlin nervously fidgeted with the belt and Arthur fought against his need to straighten his servant and kiss him then and there.

"Merlin I…" Arthur paused when a knock on the door brought them both back. "Enter" Arthur found himself saying, he was getting quite annoyed at the interruptions. Merlin stepped away from him having finished dressing the King. Arthur turned his attention to the door and saw Leon step in again, but this time he had a content look on his face. "Sire, you wanted me to inform you once the messenger from Lord Godwyn's kingdom arrived. He is waiting for you in the throne room." He declared as he waited for the King to signal his dismissal.

Arthur waved his hand and stated "I will be there shortly." Turning his attention back to Merlin once the door was closed he grinned evilly. "Merlin, I have a great way to make it up to you for the way I acted. I know it's inexcusable, but I hope this will fix it." Merlin tilted his head to the side as he looked at Arthur with a curious look on his face. He wondered how Arthur planned to make it up to him for almost molesting him in his bath water.

Grabbing a piece of cheese and a sausage from his plate Arthur moved to leave. Merlin rushed over to him and placed Arthur's sword on his scabbard and followed closely behind. The silence reached them again as they made their way to the throne room. Just as Arthur was about to open the door he turned to Merlin. "That reminds me I have assigned a new servant to help you with washing my clothes and sheets. You will give her the items and have her return them to you once she is done." With that he entered the throne room.

"What? I don't need any help." Merlin started to argue as he entered behind Arthur. "It is not up for discussion Merlin you will do as I say." Arthur whispered as he turned around again and then back as he made his way to his throne welcoming the messenger as he went.

"How was your trip? I hope it was peaceful." Arthur said to the man, he was in his mid-forties and wore similar clothes like Merlin's but with finer detail. "It was without interruptions sire." The man replied as his brown curly hair bobbled with his movements. He handed Arthur a letter and stepped back. "Lord Godwyn sends his greetings and an invitation." the messenger continued as Arthur opened the letter and read it.

Arthur clasped his hands together and stated with great joy "Tell Lord Godwyn that I gladly accept his invitation. I will have my written response ready for you before you depart. For now rest and enjoy a hot meal." The knights escorted the messenger out leaving only Arthur, Merlin, and Leon in the throne room.

Leon stepped forward and informed the King that the provisions Lord Godwyn wished to trade were already being stored and rationed among the people. "Good, I will prepare my thanks to Lord Godwyn for his generosity." Arthur concluded as he motioned for Merlin to follow him.

XXX

"You did like I suggested." Merlin grinned sheepishly as he fixed Arthur's sheets, his excitement obvious in his voice. "I don't know what you are talking about  _Merlin_. I simply hinted that our alliance could be used in other then war and suggested a trade with Lord Godwyn." Arthur replied sarcastically as he continued writing his letter to Lord Godwyn.

Merlin rolled his eyes at Arthur's response; he had used Merlin's exact words. When was Arthur finally going to admit that he wasn't that daft? Setting down the now puffed up pillows Merlin moved to pick up the basket with Arthur's dirty clothes and paused at the door. "What is the name of the servant that will be helping me?" Merlin asked.

Arthur looked up from his scroll and wrinkled his forehead as he tried to remember the name. "Elveny and just leave the basket in the corridor outside, she can pick it up and leave it there once she is done." Arthur called back as Merlin opened the door and did as he was told. There was no reason for yet another servant to step into his chambers, Arthur thought as he turned his attention back to his writing.

Merlin stepped back in and pointed at Arthur's breakfast. "Are you not going to eat it? I did go throw a lot of trouble getting it." Merlin teased, his mood feeling much better now that the awkwardness was dissipated a bit. " _Trouble_ , Merlin that is your job. Stop whining and read this letter." Arthur teased back as he handed Merlin the scroll of parchment. He would never admit but Merlin had a way with words.

"It sounds nice," Merlin replied handing the scroll back. "Nice," Arthur practically shrieked. "It is kingly and straightforward."

"Yes, but the man just saved your starving people you could show a bit more humility and thankfulness." Merlin commented as he moved to clean the fireplace. "Well here you write it Merlin since you  _volunteered_  so eagerly." Arthur mocked as he threw Merlin the scroll.

Failing to catch the scroll Merlin bend over to scoot it up. "Prat" he said under his breath, but just loud enough for Arthur to catch it. "Idiot" Arthur replied and just like that everything was forgotten. Merlin left to finish the letter and retrieve the forgotten armor from the armory wondering what the invitation mentioned earlier could mean.

Arthur looked up from his desk to tell Merlin to have the council be notified to convene in an hour, but was met with an empty room. A smile crossed Arthur's face, Merlin sure could move when he wanted to. He was glad that everything was fixed between them now. All he had to do was control himself and avoid any repeats like what had happened with the bath.

XXX

Evelyn made her way to the castle with higher spirits. Today she would see Arthur and even though she had to do manual labor it was worth it. That was the only way she would be able to find out who had touched the King and activated the potion.

Once she reached the King's chambers she made to open the door but was stopped by the guards. "I am here to pick up the King's dirty clothes and sheets." She declared as her chest buffed out with anger. How dare they block her path again, still they did not move but one of them pointed to the basket resting against one of the walls.

Evelyn turned her gaze at the basket and her face turned red with pure anger. What? She was not even permitted to enter the King's chamber that was absurd. Grabbing the basket she marched down the corridor towards what she feared was pure torture.

After asking several servants she found her way to the place where the laundry was done. "Is that the King's clothes?" one of the other servants asked her as she placed the basket on the ground. "Yes, they are." Evelyn declared with fake pride. "Then you better take those there after you are done; they are dry and belong to the King. Merlin washed those yesterday but hasn't been by to pick them up. I hope he is ok." The girl ranted on.

Evelyn rolled her eyes as she huffed. It looked like she was stuck as a servant until she corrected this mishap. She was going to be Queen she would see to it and then she would dismiss this Merlin fellow who had given her extra work.

After the washing was done she hanged the clothes and retrieved the dry ones. Making her way back to the King's chambers her mood got better. Maybe she would run into the King on her way there. With that thought in mind she increased her pace.

XXX

Merlin opened the door to the armory and stepped inside. Arthur's armor was still were he had left it. He sat down to polish the already shinny armor. He could just take it back and Arthur would never know, but he would and it didn't hurt to shine it a bit more. Maybe the sun rays would reflect off his armor and blind him causing him to fall off his horse. Merlin could dream.

"What is so funny, Merlin?" Gwaine asked as he entered the armory in full chainmail and saw Merlin smiling to himself. "Gwaine, tired of getting beaten already?" Merlin teased at his friend as he turned in his direction. "Me, beaten, you must be confusing me for her highness." Gwaine laughed as he sat down next to Merlin. "I don't get beaten." He declared and slapped Merlin in the back.

"I am just polishing Arthur's armor before I take it to him." Merlin replied flinching at the impact and set to polishing again. "Well I will leave you to it." Gwaine said as he moved towards the door. "Oh, did Arthur finish that wine he got the other day?" the knight asked as he opened the door.

"The wine," Merlin asked and then as realization hit him called out "Wait, Gwaine who gave it to him do you know?" But before Gwaine could reply he was distracted by Percival who called him back to the training. He had been found out and could not sneak away from it any longer. With a parting glance Gwaine left leaving Merlin alone with his unanswered question.

XXX

Arthur was sitting on his desk with his feet on top of it when Merlin entered. Setting his feet back on the floor he raised his eyebrows. "Well Merlin that was quick." Merlin set the armor down on a shelf to the side and handed Arthur the scroll.

"Well your brain does work at times, it truly is a mystery." Arthur commented as he finished reading the scroll, writing a few more lines and singing it he handed it back to Merlin. "Deliver it to Lord Godwyn's messenger and have him depart in the afternoon. We will be departing in the morning."

"We are going to visit Lord Godwyn's kingdom?" Merlin asked confused as he looked at the new lines Arthur had added. It was rare now that Arthur did any traveling besides his usual hunts and random patrols he accompanied his knights in. Arthur rarely left his kingdom now that he was King; Merlin suspected he feared leaving it unguarded even though there were plenty of knights to protect it.

"Of course Merlin, how am I to make it up to you then?" Arthur continued to tease. "Making me ride on horseback for days, force me to sleep out in the open, go about feeding the horses, setting up your tent, and cooking for you is how you are going to make it up to me?" Merlin stated as he moved his head back slightly.

"No Merlin, you are to cook for me and a few other knights who will be coming with us." Arthur said as he raised both his eyebrows at Merlin followed by one of his own grins. Sometimes Merlin wondered if more torture was how Arthur repaid his servants or maybe it was just him that he enjoyed giving such gestures of gratitude.

"Get a move on Merlin, you still need to pack our things, get the horses ready, and muck out my stables. Don't think I have forgotten you failed to do that yesterday." Arthur triumphantly said as he waved his hand towards the door. "And one more thing let the council know that they are to convene immediately."

Merlin just flared his hands in the air and retreated to deliver the letter. Arthur was indeed a royal arse, he had not been wrong in his first assumption of him.

XXX

Evelyn almost slammed into a servant as she reached Arthur's chambers, the same young man with dark hair and ivory skin she had seen the day before in the courtyard. He seemed upset and wasn't paying attention to where he was going. Shaking her head at his pathetic apology and his retreating form she continued on her way.

Once again she was welcomed with spears blocking her path. This was getting ridiculous, she had found out that servants went in to give him his food when his manservant failed to and he had been dressed various times before by others in the past. Giving up when the guards failed to retreat their spears she set the basket of clean clothes back where she had first picked it up.

The ones she had washed were still drying so at least she had another reason to try again. Maybe she would go inquire on a loose tonged servant when the shifts were made. Servants had a way with gossip. She never knew the other guards might be more easily persuaded to let her in. Also she was curious to know who this Merlin was, he could be a way to get closer to Arthur after all she was pretty appealing to a man's eye.

XXX

Merlin had delivered the letter to Lord Godwyn's messenger, told the council that the King wanted a meeting with them right away, and was now again back in the stables. He would have to find some time to wash his own clothes. If this kept up he would find himself naked with nothing clean to wear.

Taking the rake that was still where he had left it the day before he began his work. Pausing ever so often, Merlin cursed Arthur's name and his seer ego. He had practically assaulted Merlin just hours ago, demanded forgiveness, and when he got what he wanted went back to being a total prat.

After much raking the stables looked much cleaner, he moved to place fresh hay. He really didn't want to be left alone to ponder, his attention kept going back to earlier that morning. What had caused him to have such a dream? As if he wanted to dream of Arthur and definitely not in that sense. Merlin blamed Arthur for it as well; after all he was the perverted one who had tried to jump Merlin.

Shaking his head in an attempt to erase those unwanted thoughts Merlin looked at his work. He could not grasp why Arthur insisted that Merlin was such a horrible servant. He wasn't built for sword practice, or maze, or any fighting weapon in general, and he did fall and stumble quite a lot, but he finished his duties as best as he could.

He admitted he did use magic here and there, but most of the time he contained the desire to use it and did the actual manual labor. With one final nod at the horses he left. There was still the matter of finding the love potion and the spell to reverse it.

As Merlin entered Gaius' and his chambers he found his poor friend fast asleep in his bed. Gaius had searched through the night in an attempt to find the herb that he had not slept. Merlin's eyes flashed gold and the sheets on his friend were raised to an acceptable length.

The potions that needed to be delivered were neatly set on one of the tables with a note next to them. "If you will be so kind to deliver these..." Gaius's handwriting simply stated. The physician had been so kind to label each bottle with the name of its recipients. With one final look at his friend's sleeping form he exited the room.

XXX

Arthur was feeling much better; he had managed not to ravish his manservant the moment his eyes laid on him. The meeting with the council had been short and to the point. He had presented them with his answer one day early and everyone had seemed happy about the outcome. The treaty with neighboring kingdoms would sustain them enough until the crops they replanted grew to edible lengths.

Even though only Lord Godwyn had agreed to the treaty so far, he now had more time to get more kingdoms to do the same. After all Lord Godwyn had stated he thought the trade idea beneficial to both parties and claimed others would too. Arthur was suddenly in the mood for some sparing so he made his way to the training ground. His knights had had enough slacking for one day.

Merlin had not been back so he would have to settle with a light match since he was not in his armor. He was the king, dressing himself once in a while was acceptable, but he was not going to put his own armor on when he could get away with it.

He spotted Sir Gwaine, Sir Leon, and Sir Percival along with a few newer knights sparing. A devilish grin reached his face as he walked towards Gwaine. He had every intention of making Gwaine pay for his embarrassment at the tavern the day before.

Swinging his sword he took Gwaine slightly by surprise as the knight greeted him. Arthur knocked him a few steps back. Gwaine smiled his sheepish smile in response as he regained his ground. "Aw, sire you finally decided to get off your lazy royal bum and join us" Mocked the rugged knight as he easily deflected every attack from the King's sword with his own.

Everyone else had stopped, even Leon and Percival, and stared at the fight as the King and fellow knight were equally matched. Some would even vouch that Gwaine had an advantage over Arthur, but they would never admit it out loud or within ear shot of the King. Many swings later no victor was acknowledged and training resumed.

Arthur spent the rest of the day occupied. He did everything he could to stay away from his manservant even jumping into hidden corridors as a glimpse of red and blue caught his eye. The King was managing his control over his emotions very well.

Merlin was quite busy himself preparing for tomorrow's departure and his endless reading on love spells. He would think that how many times Arthur found himself under them Merlin would have memorized at least half of them. So the rest of the day and afternoon passed without incident. Even Gaius managed to get himself up, eat, and help the young warlock in his search.

XXX

The morning came and Merlin was awakened from his dreams by Gaius again. He really didn't understand the need for royals and their obsession to wake up so early. Putting his book back in its hiding spot Merlin got dressed. He and Arthur were to leave on their trip to Lord Godwyn's kingdom.

"You will have to talk to Arthur and find out who gave him that wine. We can then interrogate the person responsible for it." Gauis stated as he rummaged through his parchments and scrolls on his desk. "They can tell us what spell was used. It will help us find the counter spell with more ease. If the spell is already in effect we don't know what the person responsible might make him do." Gaius said with a sense of dread.

"Gaius we don't have much time, we leave in an hour." Merlin answered as he put his coat on and took his traveling bag. "I don't think we have to worry much about the other part you said." Merlin said as he moved to the door. "Why is that Merlin, do you know who Arthur is pining after?" Gaius asked as he stared at Merlin. "Uh no, I mean I might have an idea and it's safe to say that Arthur won't be doing anything to harm Camelot any time soon." Merlin finished as he took some provisions and stuffed them into his bag.

"Well at least take this, it's a reveal spell. It will tell you who the love potion has attached the King to." Gauis commented as he handed Merlin a piece of parchment. Merlin took it and stuck it in his bag. "Once the words are spoken it will mark the recipient of his affections with his name. The effect will only last a few days."

A guard interrupted their conversation as he knocked on the door and opened it without waiting on a response. "The King has requested your presence, he is ready to depart." The guard said and then left.

Merlin followed him out turning back to Gauis and sending him a look that stood for a silent "sorry." Gaius nodded his final goodbye. Gaius hoped that once they returned it wouldn't be too late to reverse the spell. Being besides the King was the best place for Merlin at the moment, he could keep a better look on him Gaius thought to himself.


	8. Too Late to go Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok I feel I must point something out. In this chapter what happens might seem like it is non-consensual but that is not the case. No rape takes place, trust me Merlin did like it he was just torn between wanting it and stopping Arthur knowing he was under a spell. He couldn't bring himself to take advantage of the situation, but at the end he did just that. Also since I am leaving you all in a very huge cliffhanger I have included a sneak preview of Chapter 9. That might just bring more questions.....Enjoy!

An hour later, Arthur and Merlin were ready to depart. Horses were saddled; provisions were packed and the wagons full of the items that were to be traded with Lord Godwyn. Sir Gwaine and Sir Percival had joined them followed by a few other knights. Sir Elyan was still in Ealdor visiting his sister Gwen and wasn't due for another two weeks. And Sir Leon had been ordered to stay behind. He had been instructed to let the prisoner out of the dungeons and to make sure the castle was well protected.

Everything was taken care of so why didn't they depart? Merlin wondered as he looked over at Arthur. Just then two servants walked down the steps and sat on one of the wagons. One was a man Merlin knew as Simon, he recognized seeing him helping out in the kitchen; the other was the woman whom he had bumped into the day before.

Merlin moved closer to Arthur's horse to inquire why two more servants were coming with them when Arthur cut him off. "I don't think I can stand hearing you whine all the way to Lord Godwyn's kingdom, so they will be helping you with the cooking and setting up camp." With that Arthur grabbed his reins and was off.

Merlin followed with a wide grin on his face. Was Arthur actually thinking about someone else's comfort? The horses galloped through the woods, staying at a constant pace. Their trip to Lord Godwyn's kingdom would take a few days and Arthur wanted to make camp until the sun was low. They needed to cover as much land as they could before then.

Merlin's horse stayed close to Arthur's, never staying more than a few paces behind. Merlin sighed as he shifted in his saddle as his bottom began to get numb, he really didn't like riding. "What is wrong Merlin? Didn't I tell you to eat more?" Arthur teased over his shoulder hinting at Merlin's skinny bottom. "No, it's alright I only have one belt and I am not fond of putting holes in mine, Sire." Merlin teased back. Gwaine and Percival laughed, the two knights couldn't help themselves they found their bickering quite entertaining at times.

He was not fat; Arthur thought to himself and was about to reply when he changed his mind. He decided to concentrate on the road ahead of him instead. Merlin continued shifting from side to side, though it did little to ease the discomfort and numbness. Not to mention it also seemed to drain him even more.

After what felt like eternity to Merlin, Arthur signaled for them to stop and set camp. He and the knights dismounted their horses and moved to secure the area. When no threat was found, they circled back towards Merlin and the other two servants, who were already in the middle of keeping themselves occupied.

Simon moved to take care of the cooking, taking a pot down from one of the wagons. The woman moved to gather wood for the fire, she wasn't found of doing anything that required more effort. And Merlin made his way to the horses. After the horses were free of their saddles and other provisions that they carried, Merlin moved to help the female servant with the wood gathering. "Hi, I'm Merlin." He greeted as he picked up a stick and then extended his hand towards her. "Evelyn and I don't need your help. I can manage on my own." Evelyn replied as she moved on to gather another piece of wood ignoring Merlin's outstretched hand.

Merlin lowered his hand and dropped the stick when Arthur came up behind him and grabbed him by the neck. "Merlin stop flirting with the help and set up my tent will you. You can't very well expect me to sleep on the ground." Arthur said as he dragged Merlin towards the area he wished his tent to be set up. He let go of Merlin and made his way towards one of the knights, smiling as he went. "You never minded before." Merlin teased back as he kneeled down and started setting up.

Merlin couldn't help but wonder why Evelyn's name sounded familiar and then it came to him. Arthur had mentioned a servant that was supposed to help Merlin with the washing. Hadn't he called her "Elveny?" Turning back around, he called out to Evelyn. "You aren't the servant, who was assigned to help me with Arthur's… I mean the King's dirty clothes, are you?" She replied with a shocked "Yes."

"I am his manservant." Merlin continued "We haven't official met. Thank you for the help, I appreciate it." Evelyn's face was empty of expression and then for a split second a raw emotion crossed her face. It had been too quick to take note of it, but it still made Merlin feel a bit uncomfortable. Merlin turned his attention back to the tent. Arthur had obviously mistaken her name. Evelyn moved to put the wood she had collected next to Simon, who was now preparing a place for the fire.

A few interruptions later from Arthur and even Gwaine, Merlin managed to finish setting up the tent and move several items into it. Making Arthur's bed he looked around. It looked decent enough. With a nod of approval he stepped out and walked right into Arthur. Arthur entered his tent and closed the flap behind him making Merlin step back into the center of it.

Evelyn saw the flap of the King's tent close and she moved towards it, but was stopped by the giant knight, Sir Percival. He didn't speak, just stood there unmoving like a tree a few feet from the entrance. She turned around and glimpsed back at the tent over her shoulder. She could wait; the trip would take a few days after all.

Evelyn had managed to trade with another servant girl, who was supposed to come. It was a last minute thing, but a few gold pieces later the switch had been made. She had managed to steal them from one of the men in the tavern once the information that the King was leaving Camelot to visit a neighboring kingdom had fallen onto her lap. The tavern was a great place to gather information.

She would use this chance to find out who the person the King was pining after was. At first she had thought it was the female servant, but the King hadn't even batted an eye when he saw she wasn't coming. So it must be someone else he was forced to leave behind. Either way she would find out who it was. So she sat next to Simon and acted interested as he talked about what he was cooking.

Back inside the tent, Arthur stared at Merlin as he started to remove his armor. Merlin's short hair brushed against his ear as he moved closer to undo the straps. The softness of it caused Arthur to become aware of just how close they were. Arthur swallowed back a knot in his throat as he tried to push down his need to get closer, to touch Merlin's skin and lips.

Merlin had his back to him now as he set the armor neatly on a barrel. Arthur thought he had his feelings under control, but he couldn't fight it anymore. He didn't want to, so as he moved towards his servant he tried to ignore the inner voice that told him it was wrong. Merlin didn't want this; he had made it obvious the last time when he had run from his room, from him.

As he wrapped his arms around his thin frame Arthur could feel Merlin's body tense. Once his body was completely pressed against Merlin, he brought his mouth towards the delicate area between the blue handkerchief and that well defined jaw. Arthur lost whatever little hold he had on his senses as his lips made contact with Merlin's flesh.

Spinning Merlin around, he greedily pressed their lips together. Moving his tongue across Merlin's lips he parted them and slipped inside that warm sweet area of his mouth. The sensations he was feeling were too overwhelming and he groaned. Pushing himself up against Merlin's body even more he banged him against the barrel. The armor fell to the ground by the pure force of it.

His knee slipped between Merlin's legs and his hands yanked at the cloth that was standing between him and Merlin's skin. His frustration grew as the belt, which hanged loose on Merlin's small frame, seemed to clasp against the cloth and refused to allow him access. He removed his lips from Merlin to get a better glimpse of the belt as he tried again to tug it loose.

Merlin could feel the hardness pressed against him and he brought his hands up against Arthur's chest as he tried to push his master away from him. His own body was reacting strangely and he didn't like it. He wasn't used to it and he knew Arthur wasn't in his right mind. The King was under a love spell. This was wrong for so many reasons. After he failed to make Arthur budge, he did the only thing that came to mind. He brought his right hand up and slapped the King across his face. "Don't… Arthur." Merlin struggled to say to his friend as he tried to control his breathing.

Arthur's eyes seemed to go darker by his actions. Letting go of the belt, Arthur moved his lips back to Merlin's, then down his neck to rest on his collarbone. Merlin fought back a moan of his own as Arthur sucked on his skin. He shivered as Arthur ran his tongue across his bone and then up his neck to once again cease his mouth.

He felt his hold slipping as he was pushed towards the bed. Merlin almost lost it then; his legs shook under him and he lost his footing. However, Arthur's strong arms were on his waist in an instant and held him up. Merlin gasped as he felt the bed against the back of his legs. This was getting very bad; he couldn't let his King do something he would regret later, no matter how much his own body was screaming for it.

Arthur pushed Merlin onto the bed roughly finally undoing the belt around his thin waist; he couldn't bear it anymore, the heat, the need to feel Merlin, all of him. He moved his body over his servant and continued his exploration of the skin that was much paler then his. He could feel Merlin move below him in an attempt to get free, one of his legs rubbing against Arthur's already hard shaft in the process. A deep moan escaped his lips at the slight touch. He sucked at Merlin's neck even harder, his hands running across Merlin's exposed stomach as he raised his red shirt upward in an attempt to tear it off.

Merlin turned his head away from Arthur as his skin burned from his touch trying to hide the redness that reached his cheeks. He struggled to move again and managed to inch a little more further from Arthur. A gasp escaped his lips as Arthur moved towards his trousers and tugged them down his hips and thighs exposing his already harden arousal. "No! We can't…this is wrong." Merlin struggled as he frantically moved to cover himself, hitting Arthur in the stomach with his knees in the process.

Arthur let out a groan, but kept his attention on what he was doing. Taking a mental note that Arthur's eyes were concentrating on his lower body and hoped that Arthur's hearing wouldn't be that alert, he whispered " _Swefe nu!_ " And as his eyes turned from blue to gold Arthur's body went limp. Merlin rolled the passed out Arthur off him and scurried of the bed, recollecting himself and his clothes, he exited the tent without another look at his King.

As his shaking legs threatened to trip him he walked past Percival and bumped into Evelyn. He really needed to watch where he was going. "Sorry, I didn't… see you there." Merlin rambled as his breathing was still not back to normal. Evelyn just stared at him with a suspicious look as she noticed the disheveled hair and clothes.

"I wish to speak with the King." Evelyn said as she looked towards Arthur's closed tent then back at Merlin. "He is sleeping and doesn't want to be disturbed." Merlin shyly replied and Percival moved closer to the tent's entrance as if backing Merlin's answer. "He can get quite grouchy if he is awakened from his beauty sleep." Merlin explained as he made his way to the fire and Gwaine. Evelyn had no choice but to return to her seat next to Simon.

Gwaine was sitting on a log eating. He was on his third bowl and still quite hungry. Merlin sat next to him and reached for a bowl and poured himself some stew. "It isn't as good as yours Merlin, but it is still quite good." Gwaine whispered to his friend and threw him a smile before shoving another spoonful into his mouth. He was so used to Merlin cooking their meals that he had grown accustom to its taste.

"So what does her highness have to say?" Gwaine asked with a mouthful as he watched his friend. His food was forgotten as his curiosity got the better of him. Merlin seemed bothered by something. "He is asleep." Merlin simply replied as he took a bite of his food, then after his stomach was unable to hold it down he offered it to Gwaine. "Gwaine, do you remember what you were telling me in the armory the other day? About the wine Arthur was given…" Merlin trailed off as he recalled their conversation.

Gwaine gulfed down his remaining food and Merlin's and then looked up. "Yes, we were at the tavern when this pretty lady came up to him and offered him a gift. The wine tasted quite awful, but wine is wine. His royal highness took it and ran off with it before I could drink another cup." Merlin jumped up in surprise. "You drank from the wine too?" He said a little louder than he had intended. Everyone stared at him and then turned their attention elsewhere as he sat back down and moved closer to his friend.

"Well yeah, you know me I can't say no to alcohol or pretty ladies." Gwaine grinned childishly as he put the now empty bowls down and raised his eyebrows in a playful manner. "Do you remember who the woman was?" Merlin pushed again forgetting that he had been so close to giving in to Arthur. He needed to know who had given Arthur the laced wine.

"Sure, she is right over there." Gwaine said as he nodded towards Evelyn, who was sitting with the cook a few ways off. Merlin's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. He couldn't believe that she had been in front of him this whole time. Gaius would have hit him over the head for not noticing it earlier. He narrowed his eyes as he stared at her then moved his attention back to his friend.

Gwaine had taken the potion too, but he didn't see him sucking on anyone's face like Arthur kept demanding to do with him. Was the potion not that strong or effective? Was it targeted to only work on Arthur? Or was Merlin jumping to conclusions and Arthur hadn't taken the potion after all. Gaius had said Arthur claimed he was suffering from what seemed like heat exhaustion in the beginning. His mind was completely confused.

Merlin excused himself from his friend with the pretense that he was going to pick up more wood. It was getting quite dark and soon it would be cold. They would need more wood to keep the fire burning well into the night. Merlin took the piece of parchment from his travel bag and moved away from camp. After walking for a few minutes he looked around, he could see no one.

He stared at the parchment and ran a hand across the back of his neck. Merlin had to be sure that Arthur was under a spell. The way he was starting to feel towards the King demanded certainty. As he spoke the words, his eyes turned a gold color once more.

At first nothing happened, maybe he had been wrong and he wasn't the one. Maybe Arthur wasn't under a love spell and he had another reason for acting the way he did towards Merlin. He was scared and yet a bit less sad at the thought. Then Merlin felt a sharp pain on his right lower arm as a golden light shimmered from under his garment.

He dropped to his knees in shock crumbling the parchment and dropping it as he grabbed his arm in pain. The pain increased and he dropped further to the ground. Merlin rested his head on the grass as he tried to think of something, anything to distract him from the pain that spread from his fingers all the way to his entire body. Then just as suddenly the pain stopped. He lifted his sleeve and just under his wrist on the inside of his right arm was Arthur's name written in elegant black letters.

Though it was quite dark, they seemed to pop out against his pale skin. The mark took almost his whole lower arm and seemed to fade just below his elbow. Merlin ran his fingers across it and his skin felt warm to the touch. It was certain now, no way to deny it Arthur was under a love spell and Merlin was the recipient of his magic induced love.

XXX

Arthur woke to find he was alone on the bed. He rose, grabbed his sword and shielded it. Arthur's eyes wandered around his tent and then with a sigh he headed outside. No Merlin in sight, he cursed and rubbed one side of his head trying to remember what had happened. He was on top of Merlin about to get it on, when suddenly he felt sleepy and all he could see was black.

Had Merlin hit him over the head with something? He rubbed his hair and couldn't feel a bump. He couldn't grasp why he had woken alone, he was sure Merlin had felt something. His hardness had been evident as he had pulled down Merlin's trousers. He looked up to the night sky as if it held the answers, but it just looked down on him with silence. He walked towards Gwaine, who was sitting on a log around a fire. Sitting down on the opposite end of the fire Arthur asked "Where's Merlin?"

"He is gathering wood for the fire." Gwaine replied as he chewed on a piece of grass and pointed in the direction he had seen Merlin disappear to. "How long ago was that?" Arthur asked again as his patience vanished. He felt off for some reason, he was scared. What if he had made Merlin run away? His actions were far from proper and dam if he cared. Arthur wanted to continue what he had been trying to do a while ago in his tent.

With a shrug from Gwaine, Arthur got up and walked towards the direction Gwaine had pointed. Moving his hand over the tilt of his sword Arthur scanned the dark trees for any movement. As he walked further on he stopped, in the distance he could hear someone. It sounded like they might be crying. He unshielded his sword and moved with a faster pace calling out Merlin's name.

Arthur stopped a few feet from Merlin's form on the ground and his heart shattered. "Merlin," Arthur yelled with fear as he looked at his servant kneeling on the floor. Merlin covered his arm and looked up surprised to see Arthur there. "What are you doing? It's too dark for you to be out here alone." Arthur said with relief once he saw Merlin move. Without waiting for a reply, he pulled Merlin up and towards the direction of camp.

Merlin was too shocked and still too hurt from the spell that he failed to notice the parchment laying on the floor. Not bothering to wipe the tears from his eyes he let Arthur drag him back to camp. "Arthur…I'm fine." Merlin mumbled once they reached the others.

As they approached Arthur's tent, Gwaine called out to Merlin. "Where's the wood Merlin?" Arthur glared at him still not letting go of Merlin or stopping and ordered "Go get it yourself Gwaine." And with that they stepped inside. Gwaine nodded his head at them and rose to go pick up wood, Arthur had a funny way of showing that he was worried about Merlin's safety.

Evelyn looked at Simon and inquired. "Does the King always act that way?" Simon shook his head and replied. "The King and Merlin are very close; there is talk among the other servants that they are even friends. That he rarely leaves anywhere without him, but I wouldn't say anything if you want to hold on to your job."

Evelyn moved her gaze back at the tent and then it all made sense. Merlin was the King's manservant. He was always around and what little she noticed when they were setting up camp was that the King couldn't keep his hands off Merlin. Whether it was a pat on the back here, a slap on the head there, and a push once or twice, it was more contact then he showed with anyone else. Evelyn suspected that Merlin must have been the one the King had touched.

XXX

Arthur moved Merlin towards his bed. "Tell me Merlin, you feel the same way as I do?" he asked as he moved to remove Merlin's jacket. Throwing it aside, he brought both his hands to Merlin's face and kissed him. He pressed Merlin down on the bed. Grabbing Merlin's hips he moved him further up and then took his arms and moved them above his head.

Merlin's throat was too dry, words wouldn't come out. He looked up at Arthur's hands and gasped. His eyes widened in shock as Arthur's hand pulled at his sleeve causing it to slightly move down revealing the first two letters of the mark on his arm. Arthur couldn't see it if he did he would know magic was involved. He couldn't run the risk of Arthur finding out Merlin had magic. Merlin moved his arm downwards and was able to move his sleeve back up.

Arthur undid Merlin's trousers and Merlin could feel the slight chill in the air as his legs were exposed. "Merlin…" Arthur called out as he struggled with Merlin's trousers and boots and finally gave up and moved his hands up Merlin's inner thighs. Merlin couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, and he couldn't think. His mind was blank. He looked around and his eyes fell on a goblet.

Shifting his gaze he made it levitate and brought it crashing towards Arthur's head. But just as it was about to hit its mark, Arthur moved up and pressed his chest against Merlin's. He dug his teeth on Merlin's neck and the goblet met empty air as it fell a few feet away from them. Merlin's restrain vanished as Arthur's fingers wrapped around his now hard shaft.

He lay back down holding onto his shirt and his breathing increased. Arthur moved to take his own clothes off. Seeing that Arthur was struggling with his belt he moved his shaking hands and undid the belt. It fell on the bed and Merlin could feel Arthur's gaze on him. Merlin had helped take part of his clothes off and taking it as type of acceptance Arthur made his move.

He took his shirt off and undid his trousers. With a few words whispered into Merlin's ear that sounded too much like "I love you" the pain came. Arthur slipped into Merlin and his hand came up to his servant's lips covering them gently as a painful moan escaped them. Merlin shook with pain and desire. There was no going back now. It was too late. He could feel Arthur's thick shaft inside him straining, wanting to push deeper.

Arthur had never felt so wrong and so right at the same time as he did at this very moment. He had what he wanted, what he couldn't spend one waking minute without. Merlin was his, all his. He moved Merlin's hips upwards as he thrust the rest of the way in. The warmth that surrounded him was too much; he thrust harder and deeper as Merlin's wall tightened around him. He could feel Merlin's body tense up by the intrusion. Yet it held on to him so tight he couldn't pull away even if he wanted to.

Looking into Merlin's teary eyes he felt his heart get heavier. "Relax Merlin, the pain will soon pass." Arthur tried to comfort Merlin, he yearned to give Merlin the pleasure he was feeling. He knew there was no way to take away the pain and he couldn't even start to relate since he had never been with a man, Merlin was an exception. It was Merlin's first time as well, his tightness told him as much. He couldn't help but smile as he covered Merlin's quivering lips with his. He was his first; the thought both scared him and filled him with joy.

Merlin accepted Arthur's lips willingly. The pain was too intense, but he didn't want Arthur to stop. Merlin raised his hips to meet Arthur's thrusts. Running his fingers into Arthur's hair and shutting his eyes to the pain he kissed his King back. Arthur's body was covered with sweat and he was in dire need of release, but he wanted this moment to last as long as it could. He wasn't ready to let such a delicacy go.

Each thrust ramped Merlin harder into the bed. Arthur could see Merlin's tear streaked cheeks and could hear the gasps of pain between their kisses, but he couldn't bring himself to stop. He hated himself because he didn't want to stop, he wanted more. He had tasted the forbidden heat, the unthinkable passion that his manservant gave him. He couldn't think of how he had managed without it.

Climax was near; Arthur could feel it as his buttocks rocked back and forth faster and faster. He gripped Merlin's hair behind his head and pulled his head back breaking their kiss. He ran his lips along his long neck and brining his mouth to Merlin's ear he told him "Come for me, Merlin." It came out more like an order then a plea. Wrapping his hand around Merlin's hard shaft he pumped it with vigor. He thrust again and again and this time he could hear Merlin's soft moans of pleasure as he hit his sensitive spot.

They were his undoing; with one final thrust the King spilled his warm seed into Merlin as he moaned into his mouth. Once his muscles calmed a bit from the climax, Arthur got off of Merlin and stepped back. He did his trousers and picked up his shirt and belt. Arthur didn't know what to say now, he wanted to just curl up in his bed and wrap his arms around Merlin's hot body.

Merlin was unable to move from embarrassment. With Arthur no longer on top of him, his lower body was completely exposed. After a few minutes he managed to get up, but his legs gave way under him and he tumbled to the ground, the grass grazing his exposed bottom. His entire body hurt. Merlin stared at his cock; the warm seed dripping from its tip and stains already forming on his shirt. Merlin had reached his own climax at the same time Arthur had. He was unsure what he dreaded more at this moment, the fact that his body had betrayed him or that he had betrayed Arthur.

After pulling his trousers back up and picking up his belt and jacket Merlin did the only thing he could, he ran. His mind didn't register Arthur's call for him to wait. He stumbled passed the nervous Arthur, out the tent, passed the sleeping knights, and into the dark forest. He ran and did not stop until his legs gave way again and he fell onto the ground sobs escaping his lips.

His vision was blurred by the tears and he had hard time breathing between the sobbing. Laying his jacket and belt on the ground next to him, he rolled up his sleeve to reveal Arthur's name on his flesh. He touched it as if doing so would make it go away. Resting his forehead on Arthur's name he sobbed louder, his body shaking harder and harder as he poured his heart out to the night. He had fallen for his King, but Arthur was only reacting to the effects of the spell.

A movement in the trees behind him brought him back and he spun around just in time to see a piece of wood strike the side of his face. Merlin dropped the rest of the way to the ground unconscious and unaware of whom his attacker was, Arthur's name shining a slight golden hue on his arm against the darkness of the night.

* * *

**Preview of Chapter 9:**

Merlin woke to nothing but darkness around him. He could feel the soft earth underneath his fingertips and when he tried to move his legs he found he was bound. As he opened his mouth to cry for help he discovered he was gaged as well.

He tried to remember what had happened. Someone had hit him on the head with a piece of wood. And that someone had gone to a lot of trouble to tie and gag him. But where exactly was he? A flash of gold shimmered in his eyes and the gag and the bounds fell to the ground. He moved around pushing against the walls of his small prison. One side gave way slightly and he pushed harder to find himself inside a hallow tree. Pushing away the rest of the boulder, that had blocked the opening, he crawled out.

Merlin got to his feet and leaned against the tree. His head hurt and his vision was a bit groggy. He rubbed his head and breathed in as his fingers came back with blood on them. He looked around and back to the tree and saw his jacket, belt and handkerchief. They had tied him with his own things. Grabbing his things he started to walk towards what he hoped was the direction of camp. It was daylight now so it didn't take Merlin long to spot the remains of a campfire. He was back in the location where Arthur and the rest had camped for the night, but there was no Arthur and no camp.


	9. Tons of Stupid Decisions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "The Servant of Two Masters" episode and what happened in the first 2 episodes of Season 4 were a big influence on how Arthur behaved in this chapter, so keep that in mind when reading it and don't hate me. If you wanted to slap Arthur afterwards for being so dump and believing someone who he barely knows over Merlin and Gwaine that is exactly what I wanted to portray here. It's quite unbelieving how after so many years Arthur still doesn't believe Merlin 100% in the stuff he says and does. Also thanks to everyone who has commented and left kudos, you are awesome!

Arthur stood in his tent; he stared at the closed flap and then turned his gaze to the other side of his tent. He moved to the small table and chair Merlin had placed in his tent and in one angry movement flipped them over. He was frustrated and tired. Rushing out of his tent, he went to look for Merlin.

Everyone was sleeping, scattered around the camp, and he moved through them calling out Merlin's name. He called out just loud enough for Merlin to hear, but trying to not wake anyone. Arthur didn't want any more distractions, he wanted to find his friend and explain himself. He wanted to tell Merlin that he wanted more than what he probably thought he did.

Arthur had really made a mess of things now. He had lost complete control and slept with Merlin. Even though Merlin had felt pleasure at the end and even gave him the impression that he was ok with it, was he only responding to some twisted duty he thought he had to do as his manservant? Arthur didn't want him to think that.

Merlin wasn't in camp; it was obvious as his failed to reply to Arthur's calls. Arthur made his way into the woods in hopes that if Merlin had run off to gather his composure he wouldn't have run off too far. It was very difficult to see in front of him and Arthur didn't like that he had left his sword in his tent.

A few ways off, Arthur could hear someone's voice. At first he had thought it might be Merlin, but the voice sounded very different. He cursed himself for letting Merlin walk out of the tent and slowed his pace trying to silence his approach.

XXX

"This will be perfect, don't you agree Merlin?" Evelyn sarcastically asked the unconscious Merlin as she moved the boulder to hide the opening. She had dragged him with little effort and pushed him under a hallow tree, thanking his thin figure. Evelyn got up and dusted her dress as she moved back. She had barely walked a few paces when she froze in her tracks, Evelyn heard someone call out to her.

"Show yourself." Arthur's commanding voice echoed in the darkness. "I am armed and won't hesitate to strike." The King called out as he stepped closer. She could see his form in the darkness in front of her. Evelyn cleared her throat as fear of being discovered ran through her.

"It is only I sire, Evelyn your servant…" Evelyn struggled to say as she moved the dirt below her feet, trying to hide the tracks the boulder had made when she had moved it.

"What are you doing out here?" Arthur questioned as he realized it was the female servants he had brought with him and not some bandit. He had hoped his bluff would scare off such bandit, but there was no Merlin or anyone doing him harm. He looked into the darkness trying to make out Evelyn's form.

"Are you out here alone? I thought I heard someone talking?" Arthur asked as his eyes moved past her, into the darkness behind her as if trying to catch another shadow that belonged to his friend. Seeing nothing but trees, he turned his gaze back to Evelyn.

"I had to go to the bathroom, sire." Evelyn quickly replied as she regained her confidence that the night would hide her evil deed. Arthur stepped aside to allow her to walk past him. She made her way back the rest of the way, a triumphant smile slowly creeping on her face.

"Wait! Did you see anyone else come this way, my manservant, Merlin perhaps? He might have come running this way not to long ago." Arthur asked hopefully as they reached the safety of the fire. Evelyn moved to say no, but then changed her mind.

"I saw him, he seemed troubled. I asked him what was wrong and he said he needed some time alone and ran off that way." Evelyn replied as she pointed to the opposite direction she and Merlin had been. Her plan to get rid of Merlin was beginning to take form. She had sounded convincing for the King thanked her, threw more wood into the fire, and moved to his tent.

Arthur stood still for a few moments in the entrance of his tent. He looked into the darkness again, his eyes filled with worry and guilt. He would give Merlin some time to himself and tomorrow he would make the best to set things right. Arthur signed and sat on his bed. He had no intention of sleeping, his mind was too full of Merlin to let sleep in.

Evelyn lay on her blanket and moved to sleep. She knew she could only fool the King for a short time. Tomorrow when Merlin failed to show, Evelyn was sure the King would search for him. Would they find Merlin? Had she not hid the tracks well enough? Covering herself with her blanket she went to sleep. Tomorrow she would get up before everyone else and make sure she hid any tracks she might have left.

A few feet off, Gwaine lay on his blanket, his back was to Evelyn. His hand rested on his sword next to him. His ruffled features remained indifferent and his eyes were closed. Suddenly his eyes opened and as he gave a quick glance back to her direction his eyes narrowed with suspicion. Gripping his sword tighter, Gwaine set his gaze back to where Evelyn had claimed Merlin had run off to.

XXX

When the tiniest light began to stream through the trees, the camp was filled with movement. The knights gathered their belongings and some went back to their posts. Gwaine, already in his armor, came out of the woods and looked around for Evelyn. When he failed to find her, he walked towards the direction she had gone the night before.

Just when he was about to vanish into the trees, Arthur came out of his tent and his gaze fell on the knight. "Gwaine, have you seen Merlin?" Arthur called out to him making Gwaine retreat his steps and move back to camp.

"No, sire." Gwaine replied, his voice filling with raw emotion. He wanted to find his friend. Evelyn had claimed Merlin had gone the opposite direction Gwaine had seen her and the king come from. Gwaine had been woken up by their talk and had managed to catch a few things she had told the King. Thus he had spent the whole night looking for Merlin in that direction.

Gwaine's head was filled with questions. Why had Arthur been out in the woods with Evelyn? Why had Arthur asked her if she had seen him? What the hell had happened between Merlin and Arthur?

Arthur, who was already in his armor and wearing his sword, gave a quick glance around the camp and then stared back at Gwaine. "We sort of had a fall out last night." Arthur said as if he had heard the questions running inside Gwaine's mind. He ran his hand through his hair and then rested it on the hilt of his sword. "He hasn't returned." The worried King finally spoke the words that had kept him awake throughout the night.

Gwaine's face was covered in pure rage. "And you didn't think about looking for him, knowing well what could befall him." He sneered as he pushed the King back and made his way towards his original destination.

Arthur followed him without saying anything; the emotions on his face were enough. They had not walked more than a few feet when they bumped into a very surprised Evelyn. Gwaine rushed over to her and grabbed her by the arm. "Where is Merlin? What have you done with him?" Gwaine's voice reached a dangerous low as he shook Evelyn by her shoulders and banged her against a tree.

"I…don't know…what…" Evelyn struggled to speak as she was shaken to her very core. The hatred on the knight's face scared her. She was almost tempted to run off into the woods and tempt the dangers as she had left Merlin to do. Just then Arthur stepped towards them and pried Gwaine off.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Arthur demanded as he pushed Gwaine further away from Evelyn. "Are you mad?" His voice echoed in the silence that had now spread throughout the camp.

"I heard her tell you that Merlin ran off that direction." Gwaine yelled as he drew his sword and pointed behind Arthur. "There are no tracks to back up her claim. The only tracks lead this way." Gwaine said a bit more calmer.

"That doesn't mean she had anything to do with him not coming back to camp. What reason could she possibly have to hurt Merlin?" Arthur yelled back. He wanted to blame someone for Merlin not returning, but he was the one at fault. "Maybe he ran off back to Camelot." Evelyn couldn't help but sneer at the knight as her fear was slowly replaced with anger. How dare he touch her, she wasn't some tavern whore.

"Merlin would never abandon his friends or duty." Gwaine half growled half yelled. "Maybe you should help search for him instead of standing here accusing people of things that don't make sense." Arthur replied as he motioned for Percival and the rest of the knights to follow him. He ordered for two of the knights to stay behind with Evelyn and Simon in case Merlin returned while they were out searching.

They searched for hours, but came back empty handed. No other tracks could be found besides the ones in the camp that belonged to Merlin. Those few they did find were Arthur's and Evelyn's. The sun was getting quite high when the knights returned to camp, tired and worn out. Arthur and Gwaine refused to stop the search and were about to continue on when one of the knights approached Arthur about the need to go on with the trip.

Arthur's heart yearned to find Merlin, but he knew they were wasting too much time. He was left with no choice. His people depended on his finalizing the treaty with Lord Godwyn. That treaty was vital to persuade the rest of the five kingdoms to take part, ensuring that his people didn't starve to death. With a heavy heart Arthur gave in to his responsibilities as King and ordered that they depart on the rest of their trip.

Once the camp was packed up and everyone was mounted, Gwaine came up to Arthur's horse and declared that he was going to stay behind incase Merlin returned. He refused to end the search and to put his duty before his friend. Arthur didn't say anything just nodded.

Arthur moved his horse to the front of the line. He planned to lead them the rest of the way and double back to help Gwaine with the search. Arthur hadn't told anyone this so he didn't blame Gwaine when the knight gave him a look of disappointment and annoyance.

Gwaine lead his and Merlin's horse to a path a few ways off the campsite and set on foot with sword at the ready. Though the rest of the knights had ruined any tracks he wished to find, he was sure he would find Merlin. He knew Merlin had not run off on them, he would never leave his friends. Just as Merlin was his only true friend and he would never abandon him.

XXX

Merlin woke to nothing but darkness around him. He could feel the soft earth underneath his fingertips and when he tried to move his legs he found he was bound. As he opened his mouth to cry for help he discovered he was gaged as well.

He tried to remember what had happened. Someone had hit him on the head with a piece of wood. And that someone had gone to a lot of trouble to tie and gag him. But where exactly was he? A flash of gold shimmered in his eyes and the gag and the bounds fell to the ground. He moved around pushing against the walls of his small prison. One side gave way slightly and he pushed harder to find himself inside a hallow tree. Pushing away the rest of the boulder, that had blocked the opening, he crawled out.

Merlin got to his feet and leaned against the tree. His head hurt and his vision was a bit groggy. He rubbed his head and breathed in as his fingers came back with blood on them. He looked around and back to the tree and saw his jacket, belt and handkerchief. They had tied him with his own things. Grabbing his things he started to walk towards what he hoped was the direction of camp. It was daylight now so it didn't take Merlin long to spot the remains of a campfire. He was back in the location where Arthur and the rest had camped for the night, but there was no Arthur and no camp.

Merlin rubbed the side of his head again as he felt a wave of dizziness start to come over him. He looked around unable to take in the meaning of the empty woods, Arthur wouldn't leave him. "I can't believe that he actually left me behind," Merlin called out to himself as he walked further into the center of what had been their camp.

He was startled by a noise behind him and he spun around moving back in the process. Merlin tripped and fell to the ground, his vision blurring with the sudden movement. He looked up at what seemed to be a man with black short hair riding a black horse. Once his sight became clearer, Merlin could see that the clothes he wore gave an air of importance.

"What do we have here? A stray?" the man mocked as he got off his saddle and moved towards Merlin. Merlin crawled back away from the man, for some reason the look in the man's eyes didn't fit well with him.

"Aw, don't run away." The man said and Merlin couldn't help but remember a particular prat who had told him the same long ago. "I don't like my game to flee, I rather enjoy when they put up a fight." The man continued as he bent down and grabbed Merlin by his leg.

Merlin kicked out and staggered to get up. "Now, that is more like it." The man laughed as he rubbed the area Merlin had kicked and got to his feet. As fresh blood ran into his' eyes it made it difficult for Merlin to see again. He ran, but had not run far when he felt something hard hit his chest and soon found himself on his back. Another man, a bit older and slightly taller, had come out behind a tree and swung his arm, landing a blow to the unsuspecting Merlin.

"Nice catch, bring him here." The younger man ordered. Merlin was then lifted off the ground and swung over the taller man's shoulder with ease. Everything happened so quickly, Merlin didn't have time to argue. He was then thrown on the ground again in front of the dark haired man.

"What do you want?" Merlin said as he looked between both men. "I have no gold or anything of value." Merlin stated as he half lay half sat on the ground.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that." The man told Merlin as he kneeled down beside him and ran his hand across his face. "I think you will be quite useful to me." Before he could say anything more, Merlin felt the darkness creep around him and he lost consciousness, the blow to the head finally taking its toll on him.

XXX

They had only traveled a few miles when Arthur brought his horse to a halt. "What is it, sire?" Percival asked as he stopped his horse beside his king. Arthur turned his horse back. Giving the order for Percival to take them to Lord Godwyn's kingdom over his shoulder and that he and Gwaine would follow shortly after finding Merlin, he was off.

Arthur made his way back to camp. He didn't know why he had let his duties get the worst of him. He couldn't leave Merlin, even if there was a slight chance Merlin had run off on his own because of what he had forced on him. Arthur couldn't leave him again alone in the woods. He would drag Merlin back with him.

He pushed his horse hard as its hooves hit the ground with force. The trees and the surrounding landscape passing like a blur as Arthur made his way back. He hoped Merlin would prove him wrong again and tell him he had fallen asleep somewhere and lost track of time, like he seemed to do quite often nowadays.


	10. Delicate Matters

"Roderick, I think you might have broken your new toy." The taller man chuckled as he rubbed his unshaved chin. His black eyes fell on the unconscious body of Merlin. Bending down he grabbed Merlin's arms, and threw the young man over his shoulder. "On what horse do you want him?" he asked as he looked at his master.

Roderick laughed as he got up and dusted his trousers. "Ivor, you will address me as sire and nothing more. Do not forget your place." He said with a much serious tone as he nodded towards his horse. "Put him on my horse. We leave now before his companions, if he has any, return to look for him." Roderick ordered as he looked at the ashes of what used to be a fire. Things weren't quite going as plan, but what he had found seemed to more than make up for it.

Ivor swung Merlin over his master's horse and made his way to where he had left his when a broken twig snapped behind him. He turned around and noticed Roderick pull his sword, from his horse's saddle with an angry look on his face, as he too looked in the direction that the noise had come from. Ivor quickly reached for his sword and walked back to his master's side, his horse forgotten.

XXX

Arthur had jumped from his horse before it had fully stopped when he had heard Merlin's voice; he seemed to be talking to someone. At first, he had thought that Gwaine had found him, but as he got closer to the clearing his body froze. Arthur's eyes couldn't move from the scene in front of him, an unconscious Merlin laying on the ground with two men standing over him.

The worst possible thoughts ran through his mind and Arthur could feel his heart race. As one of the men picked Merlin up and put him over a horse, Arthur lost it. Before his logic could intervene, he quickly covered the distance between himself and the men sword drawn, with every intention to run them through.

"Put him down." Arthur yelled as he swung his sword at the taller of the two men. The king swung his sword again and again. His sword making a loud clanking noise as the other man met each of his blows with very little difficulty. They both fought on, one for his life the other for his friend.

Arthur's eyes were clouded with anger and his lips were pressed tightly as he tried to make with his threat. He saw an opening and brought his sword down, cutting the man on the left shoulder. Arthur brought his sword forward again, ready to run the man through as the man twisted slightly to his side at the force of the previous blow.

Roderick stepped in and blocked Arthur's sword with his. He then stepped quickly back, shielded his sword and held his hands up in the air, as if to say they meant no harm. Arthur stopped his attacks and his eyes trailed from Merlin back to the two men. His jaw clenched tightly as he tried to control his desire to kill them right then and there.

"Relax, we just stumbled across him and were taking him to be looked at." Roderick declared as he moved back to his horse. "Besides what is all the commotion about, we found him first." Roderick teased as a glare of recognition appeared in his eyes. He moved towards Merlin and yanked his head up. "Isn't he a rare find?" He addressed Arthur with a childish smile. "Such beauty just left in the middle of these dangerous woods. Who knows what would have happened to him if I hadn't stumbled across him?"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Roderick felt a sword pressed on his back between his shoulder blades. Gwaine stood behind him, with a killing look in his eyes to rival that of Arthur's. "You heard him, let Merlin down and step away." Gwaine demanded as he pushed the sword a bit harder.

Gwaine had been standing off in the distance, his eyes glued to the scene. The knight had come across what had been happening a few minutes before Arthur had. He cursed and thanked Arthur when he saw the King come running out of the trees in a half crazed frenzy. Gwaine had been calculating the perfect time to sneak up on them and had not done so earlier in fear that if he showed himself they might kill Merlin right then and there.

Using Arthur's distraction, he had made his move, which brought them to where they were now. Gwaine pushed the sword even harder when neither of the men made an attempt to move Merlin from the horse. He had spent his whole time searching thinking of ways to make Arthur's life hell for leaving Merlin behind, but now he was even considering running Arthur threw along with the two men for putting Merlin in danger.

Arthur glanced towards Gwaine and back at Roderick and Ivor. "It seems like you are in a tight spot. Hand Merlin over and I might spare your lives." Arthur commanded as he moved to point his sword at Ivor who now had his free hand over his arm covering his wound. His other hand seemed to tighten around his sword; Arthur could tell Ivor wasn't ready to give up the fight just yet.

"That is enough Ivor, put your sword away." Roderick told his companion as he put his hands up again to show Gwaine that he was not fighting either. His display of desire to cooperate made the sword on his back lighten just a bit and he couldn't help but smile at the response. This Merlin fellow really was special to receive such display of courage and stupidity.

"You can be quite persistent when you want to, but then again I can't expect less from the King of Camelot." Roderick said as he moved his eyes to his companion and then tilting his head towards Merlin, hinting that it was ok to hand over his prize. Arthur narrowed his eyes at the mention of his status, but said nothing to prove the man right or wrong.

Arthur's eyes moved past Ivor and Roderick to land where Merlin lay flipped over the horse's saddle, still unconscious. His face filled with pure raw emotions, fear, worry, hatred, and settled on undiluted anger as he saw the blood on his friend's hair and the small trail that fell across his face. Arthur's gut did cartwheels as his mind was filled with guilt. Why the bloody hell hadn't he stayed until he had found Merlin? He was now bleeding on top of some stranger's horse about to be carried off to who knows where.

Ivor shielded his sword and raised Merlin off the horse. He set him on the ground and stepped back right into Gwaine's view. Gwaine glanced over at Ivor, whom he had not paid much attention to, and his face filled with confusion. "You?" he called to the taller man, letting his grip on his sword loosen somewhat.

"You're the guy from the tavern." Gwaine said again as he came around Roderick, all the while keeping his sword steady on its original target. Ivor just smiled and moved his hand towards his wound again. "And you are the drunken idiot who got me thrown in the dungeons." He replied with a hint of distaste on his voice.

"We didn't hurt him; my guard just gave him a small push." Roderick stated as he tested his luck and moved to his horse. "The blood on his head was already there when we came across him." He continued as he reached into one of the bags on his saddle. "Besides if he means a lot to you, you shouldn't have left him alone in the first place." His voice rang with irritation and he turned to look at Merlin as he thought of his strike of bad luck at being deprived of his new toy he had just found.

Managing to muffle half of his laugh, Roderick got a scroll out and handed it to Arthur. "You might want to see this." He stated with a teasing tone. Arthur grabbed the scroll and yanked it open to only hand it back with a surprised and troubled expression on his face. "Gwaine shield your sword." Arthur ordered his knight as he shielded his and squatted next to Merlin.

"Get on your horses and be on your way, before I change my mind and disregard what I just read." Arthur ordered as he moved closer to his friend, still unready to drop his guard. He wasn't about to take any chances. Gwaine moved towards Merlin and Arthur still holding his sword towards both men. He glanced back at his friend on the ground taking in the wound for the first time. He hadn't seen Merlin get hit only thrown on his back with a blow to the chest. When had he gotten hit on the head?

"What?" Gwaine started to say, but was stopped with a look from Arthur that said there was no room for argument. He shielded his sword and stepped towards Merlin. He couldn't help but wondered who these people were that had Arthur backing off when they had the upper hand. "You're going to let them go? They attacked Merlin and were ready to take off with him." Gwaine argued as he looked at the two culprits.

"Why should we leave?" Ivor moaned as he shifted on his feet making his wound hurt even more. "We are all going to the same destination?" Roderick stated as he took in the angry look from Arthur. "Why not travel together?" Roderick offered as he climbed his horse and motioned for Ivor to do the same. Ivor headed to his horse and came back at a small gallop to stop next to his master; he torn a piece of cloth from the behind his saddle and wrapped it around his wound.

Arthur starred at both of them with anger. He parted his lips as if to say something in retaliation, but decided to concentrate on getting Merlin to his own horse. "Gwaine bring me my horse." Arthur ordered the knight as he pointed towards the direction his horse was. The sooner they set off the sooner they would be rid of them.

Gwaine pushed back an argument that was on the tip of his tongue and headed towards the direction Arthur had pointed at. He reached Arthur's horse and led it back to the clearing patting its side to calm the horse and himself a bit. Stopping next to Arthur, he helped put Merlin on the horse and then walked towards his own horse.

Making sure Merlin was safely secure on his horse Arthur motioned for Gwaine to follow and they made their way towards Lord Godwyn's kingdom. Roderick and Ivor followed behind, they seemed to be talking about something just out of Arthur's and Gwaine's hearing range. Arthur met Roderick's gaze and both men clutched their jaws tightly. None of them were happy about the turn of events.

They had barely reached the road when Arthur noticed Percival and the rest of the knights come around a bend in the path towards them. He pulled up next to Percival. "Does no one do as they are ordered?" Arthur asked no one in particular as he got off his horse and with Percival's and Gwaine's help, moved Merlin to one of the wagons.

"Is it wise to continue to Lord Godwyn's kingdom? Wouldn't it be better if we returned to Camelot and had Gaius look over Merlin's injuries?" Gwaine asked as he shortly forgot about the two new additions and concentrated on his friend. Laying a blanket over his body and moving a strand of hair from his eyes, Gwaine wiped the blood from Merlin's eyes. Then he pressed another blanket on his wound and remounted his horse.

"We are less than a day's ride to Lord Godwyn's kingdom and can reach it faster. They have a good physician who can look over Merlin." Arthur assured Gwaine as he got back on his horse and once again led the way. Percival didn't say anything, one look at Gwaine and the mysterious addition to their party told him all he needed to know.

XXX

An old woman moved through the woods and stopped suddenly near a patch of grass. Her hand moved towards the tall grass and as she retreated back her fingers she held a piece of crumbled parchment. Unrolling the parchment, the old woman looked towards the direction Arthur and his company had gone. Her lips curled back to reveal a set of crooked teeth, as laughter filled the air. The old woman retreated back the way she had come, towards Camelot.

XXX

It took them the rest of the day and night to reach Lord Godwyn's kingdom. Arthur had made them stop a few times to check on Merlin, who had not woken up yet. Dawn was approaching as they finally reached their destination. The bridge that led to the castle came into view and Arthur sped his horse even more.

Arthur brought his horse to a halt, as two guards moved towards him blocking the entrance with their spears. He reached into his saddle bag and presented his scroll with the invitation from Lord Godwyn. "My manservant is badly hurt; we require your physician's services." Arthur informed one of the guards, who handed back his scroll and motioned for the other guard to get the physician.

"We will inform our Lord and the physician of your arrival and request." The remaining guard told Arthur as he moved aside to let them in. Arthur looked back at his party and with one final worried look at the wagon that Merlin was in, he moved towards the castle.

Roderick presented his scroll once Arthur and his party had passed through the bridge. The guard glanced at it and handed it back. He bowed at Roderick and stepped aside to let him and Ivor pass. Roderick quickly rode to the castle; he wanted to see if an opportunity to be alone with Merlin would arise while Arthur was kept busy by Lord Godwyn.

Arthur was greeted by Lord Godwyn and his physician, a man about the same age as Gaius. "This is Caldor; he will attend to your manservant's injuries. Once you have seen to your servant, come see me in the throne room. We have a lot to discuss." Lord Godwyn told Arthur as he moved aside to let Arthur climb the steps. Arthur nodded and thanked him as he quickly followed Gwaine and Percival, who were carrying Merlin towards the physician's chambers.

XXX

Merlin woke up to find himself in a bed, a very nice and huge bed. He rubbed his forehead and noticed that his head was partly wrapped in bandages. Looking around he was unsure of where he was. Merlin didn't recognize the room. He looked towards one of the windows, trying to see if he could see any landscape through its tinted glass, and almost lost his breath as he spotted Arthur.

Arthur was standing with one foot resting on the edge of the window and one of his hands ran through his hair. His face was filled with worry as he stared out the window. "Arthur…" Merlin called out to his king as he tried to sit up. Was he dreaming? He assumed he must be at Lord Godwyn's castle; the room was not one of Arthur's. He blinked his eyes trying to clear his head.

"Arthur…" Merlin called again when Arthur hadn't reacted to his voice. Arthur turned from the window and looked at Merlin. His eyes filled with realization as he saw his friend awake and sitting on the bed. Arthur moved towards the bed with a huge smile appearing on his face. "Took you long enough to wake up. How you feeling?" the King asked as he sat on the bed next to Merlin.

"Like I have just been run over by five horses and a very fat cow..." Merlin replied as he moved the sheets off of him. Arthur pushed him back on the bed and covered him back up as he told him to take it easy and rest. Merlin smiled up at Arthur nervously as he let him get pushed into the soft sheets. Then when he remembered what had led to his condition he spoke. "You left me in the woods." Merlin accused, his eyes showing sadness in them and his tone was a mixture of hurt and confusion.

"I don't know what you are taking about; you're the one who ran off and got yourself injured. What, you tripped and landed on your head?" Arthur teased as he smacked Merlin on the head and got up to leave. "Ouch!" Merlin said as he touched his head. "I am hurt you know…" He continued, but stopped as he saw the sadness on Arthur's eyes.

"I'm sorry…" Merlin began, his chest hurt but not from the punch he had gotten. He couldn't tell Arthur that he had been attacked that night after he had run out of the tent. Then his face cheered up and he smiled at Arthur. "At least you came to your senses and came back for me." Merlin told Arthur as he reached for a pillow and threw it at him.

"You don't get to throw things; I am the only one who gets to do that." Arthur said as he picked up the pillow and threw it back at Merlin, who managed to somewhat dodge it. They both laughed as the tension disappeared and their unspoken feelings reached out to each other.

"I'm the one who should be sorry, Merlin." Arthur told him, his voice a serious tone again. He moved back to the bed and raised a leg setting it on the bed. Arthur leaned forward and stopped a few inches from Merlin's face. "I really am sorry for leaving you behind." Arthur said, his voice becoming low, like a whisper, as his eyes fell on Merlin's lips.


	11. Giving In

Merlin's heart began to beat rapidly as his mind was filled with images of what they had done in Arthur's tent. "Arthur…" Merlin whispered back as he inched forward just a little, their lips barely touching. Arthur ran his hand across Merlin's side and then after a slight pause, he pulled Merlin forward closing the small gap that would bring their lips completely together.

"I don't want you to ever go off like that again, Merlin." Arthur said slowly, as he nibbled at Merlin's bottom lip. He moved his hands to Merlin's face, thumbs caressing his jawline delicately as if trying to memorize the shape of it. "I almost lost you; I don't think I could bear it." He told him, this time part of his words was muffled by their lips pressing against each other wildly.

Their lips were partly opened, as they tried to breath, and their tongues greedily explored each other's mouths. After a few minutes of passionate kissing, Merlin rested his forehead on Arthur's shoulder as he tried to calm himself. Arthur could feel Merlin's breath, erratic and hard against his neck and it aroused him even more.

He pulled Merlin back by his shirt and met his eyes for a second, as if searching for something there, and then pressed his lips against Merlin's once more. It had been eating at him for even believing that Merlin would ever leave him. Merlin was his and would always be by his side. This time their kisses were slower, calmer, and deeper. Their hands explored whatever skin they could find.

Arthur groaned into Merlin's mouth, as his lips pressed harder against him. The young King was unable to get enough of the sweet taste of Merlin's mouth. He brought his hands to Merlin's waist and pressed his body against him, lowering Merlin the rest of the way to the bed. His body clearly remembered the warmth Merlin's body had given him the last time they had made love and he was fully hard, his erection painfully tight against his trousers.

"Arthur we can't….someone might walk in." Merlin's trembling voice reached his ears once Arthur pulled his lips from Merlin to better position himself on top of him. He stopped kissing Merlin and moved back to meet Merlin's gaze. They stayed that way, frozen for a few moments, their eyes showing the emotions their bodies were denied to express.

Just then a knock on the door gave them a slight warning before a servant entered. Merlin moved frantically from under him and Arthur rose from the bed ready to kill the intruder. With Arthur no longer blocking his movements, Merlin fell to the floor with the sheets and a few pillows following his fall. A loud thump rang across the room, Arthur turned towards Merlin and some of his anger faded as he was once again reminded of his manservant's clumsiness.

The servant, who luckily for Merlin and Arthur was too busy balancing what he carried, was oblivious to what had just been about to transpire. He nervously moved to the table and set down two plates and turned to greet Arthur.

"Sorry to interrupt sire, but Lord Godwyn insisted that you both be brought food to eat." The young man told Arthur, who was now glaring at him as if he had just spit in the King's face. "He wanted me to inform you to meet him in the throne room once you were done with your lunch." He fidgeted from one foot to the other and then bowed, before moving towards the door and safety.

Arthur pulled his gaze away from the door and smiled at Merlin as he moved towards the table. One plate had the usual meats and cheeses with a few pieces of loaf. The other plate contained a nice variety of fruits. Reaching for a few strawberries, Arthur put one into his mouth and chewed on it as he walked back towards his manservant.

Merlin had already gotten up from the floor and managed to untangle his limbs from the sheets and now sat on the edge of the bed with his back to the table. Thus what Arthur did next threw Merlin by complete surprise. He jerked back a bit as his lips met the sweet half eaten strawberry, his eyes wandered up to Arthur's and could do nothing but part his lips slowly and accept the sweet fruit.

"Thank you Arthur, but I can feed myself." Merlin replied awkwardly as he licked his lips of the sweetness still lingering there. "I hurt my head not my hands." Merlin continued as he lifted his hands up as if to prove the point. He then saw the newly bandaged finger he had cut just a few days ago.

"The physician took it upon himself to address all your wounds." Arthur stated as he pushed another strawberry into Merlin's still open mouth. "He practically wanted to strip you naked to see if any more injuries had befallen you."

Merlin's eyes almost popped out of their sockets when the meaning of Arthur's words hit home. His arm, the mark was still on his skin. Had then seen it? Had Arthur? Merlin wondered as his face filled with worry and guilt, as he was once again reminded of the reason Arthur was acting the way he was towards him. He had forgotten all about the love spell.

"Don't worry Merlin, your chastity is safe." Arthur teased as his eyebrows danced up and down. "At least from anyone other than me, that is." He continued to tease with a huge grin on his face. And with that Merlin was once again on his back, with Arthur on top of him. This time they were lying across the middle of the bed, with their legs partly hanging over the side.

Arthur's hand rested just above Merlin's head, as they stared at each other's eyes. "Merlin, Lord Godwyn was right. I am hungry, but it's not food I am craving." Arthur said with a very serious low tone. He lowered his head and kissed Merlin's neck, then traced his lips across his pale skin to his soft lips. Merlin was too nervous and knew clearly where they were headed. He couldn't think of anything to persuade Arthur to stop, he didn't want him to.

Suddenly Merlin's stomach made a sound that sounded too much like a growl; Arthur moved back slightly and stared at his manservant. Merlin's cheeks turned slightly red as his stomach once again protested the need for food. "I haven't eaten in over a day…." Merlin began hiding part of his face behind his hand. His explanation was stopped as Arthur laughed and pulled them both off the bed. He dragged Merlin by the hand towards the table.

Sitting Merlin down, Arthur moved to take a seat next to him. "Eat, we have all day and you will need your energy." Arthur whispered into Merlin's ear as he pressed a piece of cheese into Merlin's lips. "I don't intend to let you out of this room for the rest of the day." He finished his teasing with a soft kiss to Merlin's cheek.

Merlin's face got even redder, as he took the cheese into his own hands and took a bite of it. Arthur leaned back on his chair and brought his hands behind his head. He couldn't help grinning, Merlin looked so adorable with his face all flushed the way it was.

"Lord Godwyn is having a special gathering for all possible suitors for his daughter, Elena." Arthur said suddenly, with a grin still on his face. He really liked how things were going, everything was perfect. He had Merlin back and they were practically a couple now, well in secret anyways. He would go deal with Lord Godwyn and then he would have the rest of the day to spend with Merlin.

Merlin spit the liquid he was drinking from one of the goblets and it landed on Arthur's shirt. "What?" Merlin asked as he wiped his lips and an apologetic look came over his face. "Sorry…" he murmured as he turned away from Arthur, his face now a slight pink color.

"He wanted to use this opportunity to have me meet with the some of the other kingdoms and propose the treaty." Arthur said as he looked at his shirt with a surprised look on his face. He moved to the wardrobe, which now contained his clothing, and took out another red shirt. "You didn't think he would force marriage on me again, after what happened with his daughter, did you?" Arthur asked, but was met with silence.

Arthur moved towards the changing screen, but then decided against it. He stepped back towards the center of the room and into Merlin's eye sight. The King then proceeded to take his dirty shirt off, thanks to Merlin, making sure to take his sweet time doing so. Tossing the dirty shirt on the edge of the bed, he changed into a clean one. Sitting back down, Arthur smiled at Merlin triumphantly. Merlin hadn't stopped blushing since he had woken up.

Merlin moved the plate containing the array of meats towards Arthur. "I know how you like your sausages, sire." He teased as he smiled back at his king. Two people could play this game, they were back to their old teasing selves and Merlin was quite enjoying himself. Arthur's face turned into one of hurt and disbelieve.

"I am not fat Merlin; you of all people should know that!" Arthur exclaimed as he reached across and messed up Merlin's hair, then reached for the sausages. Eating them so fast, that Merlin could swear he had swallowed them whole, he wiped his hands on a cloth and got up. "Merlin, it's glad to have you back." Arthur said as his smile grew wider and he moved to the door, opening it. Shutting the door behind him, Arthur proceeded down the hall to meet with Lord Godwyn one more time.

Merlin stared at the closed door for a moment, before getting up and moving back to the bed. Sitting on the bed, his hands automatically reached for the sheets grasping them so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His eyes trailed back to the door, half expecting, half hoping them to open and reveal a cocky Arthur. Merlin looked down to his right arm and slowly touched it, his shirt covered the marking, but Merlin knew it was there. A sign escaped his lips, as he tossed himself back on the bed.

XXX

Roderick paced his chambers, ever so often stopping and staring at his door; Ivor was sitting on one of the chairs around the table drinking large amounts of wine and stuffing his face with food. They had rushed to the physician's chambers shortly after Arthur and his knights. Roderick had been denied the chance to see Merlin all together and Ivor had been made to wait until Caldor was done with looking over him. Arthur had slammed the door on them, with a look of pure hatred on his face.

After being led by a servant of Lord Godwyn's to their rooms, which would serve as their chambers for the duration of their visit, Roderick had been completely ignored. A few moments ago a servant had brought them food, but that was not the attention he had been expecting. Thus the reason for his pacing, it had been hours and he wanted to see Merlin. He had just met the young man and already his interest towards him was very strong. He had found another reason to hate the young Pendragon.

"Sire, you should really taste this wine. It's very good." Ivor said as he gulped down another goblet. "And the food could rival that of your, I mean your father's kingdom." Wiping his hand across his lips to stop the trail of wine dripping from them, he set the now empty goblet down and poured himself another.

"Maybe you should be trying to see what you can scoop out, instead of getting yourself drunk and stuffing your face with my food." Roderick told him coldly as he pulled the wine away from Ivor and set it back on the table with a loud thump. Ivor grumbled under his breath, but got up and headed for the door. He wasn't stupid as to ignore an order especially when his master was in a very bad mood.

"Ivor, while you are at it, find out where Merlin's room is at." Roderick ordered as he continued his pacing. "And don't mess up this time." He threw in as he recalled how Ivor had ended up in the dungeons of Camelot and set their whole plan to ruin.

"Of course, Sire." Ivor replied as he bowed to his master and closed the door behind him. He headed to the servants quarters, where else would someone find the most interesting tidbits of information? Also, it wouldn't hurt to find a female companion to keep him warm at night for the remainder of his stay. Roderick paced a few moments more then grabbed his coat and exited the room, he wasn't the patient type. He would find Merlin on his own, how hard could it be to find one servant?

XXX

Arthur returned, after a few hours, to his chambers. Merlin, who was now wearing a blue shirt and a red handkerchief around his neck, was staring out a window. It was the same window Arthur had been staring at when he had been waiting for his servant to awaken. Arthur shut the door behind him, as quietly as he could, and moved towards Merlin.

He wrapped his arms around Merlin's thin waist and pressed his chest against his back. He nibbled on Merlin's ear and pressed him even tighter against his body. The whole time he had spent talking to Lord Godwyn Arthur had only had one thought in his mind, Merlin and the desire to repeat what they had done in his tent.

Merlin let himself be pressed against Arthur's hard chest, the warmth there made his own body feel hot and heavy. He moved his head back and offered his lips to his King. His offer was quickly received and as their lips locked together, Merlin could feel himself being pushed towards the bed. He soon found himself on the soft sheets and he could feel Arthur's hands messing with his belt.

Their lips parted as Arthur tried to concentrate on undressing Merlin. Merlin let out a small moan of protest at the void, he moved upwards to meet Arthur's lips again. Both obviously wanted each other, their breathing becoming a bit faster as their hands ran across each other's bodies. They needed to feel each other's naked skin and they tugged at each other's clothes trying to pry it off. After a few tries they manage to undress each other and the floor was covered with various garments thrown in each direction.

Merlin's exposed chest rose and dropped heavily with anticipation, as he felt his hips being lifted. Arthur moved to set himself in-between Merlin's legs and brought one arm under Merlin's back. They stared into each other's eyes as Arthur brought his other hand to cup Merlin's buttocks and with one precise movement pushed inside him. Merlin's body tightening against the intrusion and the slight pain as Arthur moved deeper inside of him. "Arthur…" Merlin groaned as he tried to shift away from the pain his lower half was feeling.

"Damn… You're so tight, Merlin…" Arthur moaned into Merlin's ear as he thrust deeper still, raising Merlin's left leg up towards his chest. He almost came right then and there; Merlin was so tight and warm, that it was almost too much for him. Arthur managed to hold back; he wanted to make Merlin feel good this time around.

He thrust slower and deeper, pushing Merlin into the bed with each push. They kissed hungrily and their hands couldn't stop exploring every inch of each other's skin. Merlin's skin was as soft as he remembered and as beautiful. Lifting Merlin's hips higher, Arthur pushed himself even deeper, bucking his hips and hitting the delicate spot inside Merlin. This made Merlin moan as he wrapped his arms around Arthur's back and brought their hips closer together.

After a few moments, Merlin let go of Arthur and grasped the sheets as he felt Arthur ram into him faster. His knuckles turned white as he continued to grasp the sheets tighter to keep himself from falling off the bed. "Arthur…I am going to fall off." Merlin gasped between thrusts, his head was half way off the edge already.

Arthur lifted Merlin towards him and moved further to the middle of the bed. Kneeling on the bed, Arthur positioned Merlin on top of him managing to stay inside of him in the process. Merlin quickly cradled Arthur and wrapped his legs around his sides as he brought his arms around his neck. He let Arthur rock him upwards and then downwards, moaning again when he felt him partly slip out and back inside again.

Soon his hips were moving on their own, meeting Arthur's thrusts with even more vigor as the pain was completely gone and all Merlin could feel was the unadulterated pleasure. Merlin wanted to feel more of Arthur, so he wrapped his legs around Arthur's waist and thrust his hips downwards in a much harder pace.

"Slow down Merlin, or I won't be able to hold on much longer." Arthur gasped as Merlin's movements brought him near his edge. Their bodies were completely covered in sweat as they continue to move together with each thrust. Arthur can see his climax was near; his buttock muscles tighten as he tried to keep it at bay. He wanted Merlin to come at the same time as him.

"Come with me Merlin." Arthur managed to say before his lips were covered with Merlin's, he could tell Merlin was also close to climaxing. With one final thrust, both Arthur and Merlin reached their climax at the same time. Merlin's nails dug merciless into Arthur's back and their breathing reached a new high as their bodies shook with exhaustion.

They continued to cling to each other after Arthur spilled his seed inside Merlin and his stomach was sticky from Merlin's. There with no words spoken as they fell onto the bed in a heap of limps and sweat. Arthur moved a bit back to stare at Merlin's naked body when he noticed something on his right arm.

He looked at the bandaged arm and a questioning look crossed his face. "What is this Merlin?" he asked as he moved further back and raises a hand to touch the bandages. He was sure those hadn't been there earlier. "It's nothing; I scrapped my arm in the woods." Merlin replied as he clung to his arm and pulled it away from Arthur's reach.


	12. Getting Discovered

"Merlin let me see…" Arthur ordered, with a touch of concern in his voice. He had thought all of Merlin's wounds had been attended to. The thought that Caldor had missed one didn't sit well with him. He once again reached for his servant's bandaged arm, but his fingers met air as Merlin jumped from the bed.

"It's fine Arthur; I already attended to it. I have learned a thing or two working as Gaius's assistant." Merlin nervously replied back, as he moved to gather something to cover himself with. Though they had just made love for the second time and Arthur had clearly seen every part of him, Merlin still felt shy about being naked in front of his King.

Arthur sighed, but decided to drop it for now. Merlin was clearly not going to let him see it and was trying to make a run for it. He wasn't about to let that happen. Arthur planned to spend most, if not all, of his day with Merlin, preferably in bed. The thought of that and a fully naked Merlin bending down trying to gather his clothes made Arthur forget about the bandaged arm.

Merlin looked up at his King, when he was met with silence, and the little clothes he had managed to gather fell back to the floor near his feet. Arthur was looking at him as if he was a piece of chicken and he hadn't eaten in weeks. His face turned a beet red and he stepped back a few steps. "We just finished doing….you can't be serious?" Merlin struggled to say as Arthur, still completely naked as well, moved from the bed towards him. This was all too new for Merlin.

XXX

Ivor entered the servants' quarters and stumbled on three servants sitting around a small table in the far end of the room. They seemed to be in the middle of a conversation. He walked loudly towards them, making sure his brown boots scrapped against the floor, and threw a few gold coins on the table. He bent down towards them, setting his hands on the edge of the table, and looked at the two men and woman. "I am looking for some information and am willing to pay handsomely for it."

The older male servant and woman quickly rose from their seats and moved towards the door. "Sorry sir, but we like our jobs and would like to keep them." The man commented as he opened the door for the woman and shut it behind them loudly. They had been in Lord Godwyn's service since they were children; their parents had served the King as well and no amount of gold would make them betray their King.

Ivor nodded at the closed door, he respected their loyalty and he had to admit his rugged unshaved appearance had the tendency to scare most people away, at least those in their right mind. Plus, he was quite well built to rival Arthur's knight, Percival, if he said so himself. Ivor looked back at the younger man. "Well, how about it? Want to earn some extra coins?" He asked the remaining servant as he pushed the gold closer to him, a devilish grin plastered on his face.

"What do you want to know?" the young man asked as he picked up the coins and slipped them into a small pouch he got out from under his jacket. He waved his hand towards the bench in front of him, offering Ivor to sit down. Ivor rubbed his injured shoulder, the new stitches already itched and the bandages were probably a bit too tight for his liking. He sat down and leaned closer to the young man with a serious look on his face.

"I want to know in what room Merlin is in and what the real reason King Arthur Pendragon is here." Ivor said as he licked his lips. They suspected that the young King was not here for the same reason they were, but were clueless to what it was. He had failed to follow through with the original plan, but he intended to make it up to his master. Roderick would be pleased to know he was able to get the information he sought so quickly.

"You want to know where King Arthur is keeping his manservant, that fellow that arrived injured just this morning?" the servant asked a bit confused as he moved slightly back from the table. After receiving an empty stare from Ivor, he cleared his throat and continued. "Well, he is staying in the same room as King Arthur; it is located in the west wing of the castle, the second room to the right. It's quite weird if you ask me." Then when he got nothing, but another empty stare from Ivor, he rose from his seat and leaned closer to the man.

"King Arthur is here to talk about very delicate matters with Lord Godwyn surrounding a trading treaty. Apparently his kingdom isn't doing so well. His people are practically starving, but those specifics are being kept quite if you know what I mean." The servant replied, the last part coming out almost as a whisper. He then smiled at Ivor and moved towards the door.

"Thanks for the gold coins mister; it was a pleasure doing business with you." He patted the fat pouch; he wasn't the type to pass up a few coins when all that was asked of him were a few gossips already circling among the servants. And with that he put the pouch back under his jacket and exited the room.

Ivor remained glued to the bench for a while longer; he was a bit surprised as well to find out that King Arthur was sharing his own chambers with a servant and that the young man they had found in the woods wasn't just any servant, but the King's personal servant. Roderick would not take this information lightly, but the other part he was sure he could easily use in his new plan to ruin Camelot. He quickly took his leave and made his way back to his master's chambers.

XXX

Arthur slowly pushed Merlin against a wall and softly spoke into his ear, "I told you I wouldn't let you leave this room for the rest of the day and I tend to make true to my word." He ran his hands down Merlin's sides and pressed his knee between Merlin's legs prying them slightly apart. Merlin was just so enticing and being in the same room as him was proving hard to keep his hands off him. Arthur cursed under his breath at his weakness as he nudged Merlin's neck.

"Arthur…" Merlin started to say, but his lips were covered with Arthur's and all thoughts left his mind. He kissed his king back slowly then faster as his body reacted to the caresses Arthur was making with his hands across his whole body. Everywhere Arthur's fingers touched, he could feel his skin heat up. He felt as if he was on fire.

Arthur pulled his lips away, bringing their kiss to an end as he trailed down Merlin's ivory skin. He greedily kissed Merlin's neck, chest, and continued downward. Merlin held his breath as he saw his King kneel down and stop right below his navel. He closed his eyes and pushed his head back against the wall as he felt Arthur's wet lips touch the inside of his thighs.

Merlin was panting hard now as Arthur's hand caressed his fully hard shaft. He could feel Arthur's warm tongue run across his tip and he thought he was going to die from the pleasure as Arthur's movements increased. Merlin couldn't hold back anymore and he climaxed, his cum spilled all over Arthur's hands and inside his mouth. His knees shook as Arthur released his hold on him and moved back up to stare at him. Arthur wiped his mouth with the side of his hand as his eyes got darker with need. He wanted to explore every inch of Merlin's body; his body yearned for him desperately.

He grabbed Merlin's buttocks and raised him upwards. Wrapping his legs around his waist, Arthur thrust into Merlin slipping inside him once more. As Merlin tightened around him, he pushed Merlin further against the wall and kissed him hard. They moved their hips together pacing each other, clinging to each other as if unable to be satisfied.

Arthur thrust deeper into Merlin as he whispered sweet words into his ear. Gosh, he never wanted this to end. Merlin tasted so good and so right in between his legs, against his skin and lips. His hands felt at home against his soft pale skin and he couldn't run his fingers through that dark hair enough. He tugged on Merlin's hair bring their lips closer as they continued to kiss.

Merlin could feel the cold stone wall rubbing against his back, but he didn't care the pleasure he was feeling was too great. He moved his hips down to meet Arthur's movements and kissed him harder as his whole body tingled at their closeness. Merlin had never thought he would be doing this with Arthur, never thought it was possible, but now that he was he didn't want to stop. He wanted Arthur inside him, thick, hard, and demanding. He craved for it as the magic within him.

They continued to move against each other as they neared their climax. Arthur didn't have to ask Merlin to come with him, they came together panting and biting each other's shoulders as if marking each other as their own. Merlin could feel his cum against his stomach and Arthur's sweaty skin stuck to him. He moaned as Arthur pulled out and released Merlin's legs back to the floor.

Leaning fully against the wall and stabling his legs, Merlin looked into Arthur's eyes. What now? He thought as his ears still rang and his chest moved rapidly up and down. Arthur grabbed his hand and led him back to the bed. Merlin's heart almost jumped out of his chest as he moved under the sheets to make room for Arthur.

Arthur slipped a hand to the side of Merlin's face and turned him towards him. "Merlin, tell me you will let me do this as well back in Camelot." His eyes searched frantically for any signs that would hint at a yes on Merlin's eyes, as he placed a small kiss on his lips. Merlin just smiled as he returned the kiss, he didn't trust his voice at the moment to reply so he hoped Arthur would take his kiss as the answer he sought instead.

"Turn around Merlin." Arthur told him as he moved even closer to him. Merlin did as he was told and grasped the sheets as he felt Arthur push inside him, completely hard and hot again. He moved his upper body slightly forward as Arthur clung greedily to his hips with both hands. Arthur thrusts were fast, but at a steady pace, as they once again got caught up in the moment. Arthur could hear Merlin moan into the pillows as he pushes further inside him and he couldn't help but moan in return.

Their bodies were covered in sweat and Arthur's grip kept slipping as he continued to thrust into Merlin. "Merlin, you feel so good…" He moaned into Merlin's ear as he felt Merlin move his hips towards him making him go in even deeper. He feared he would go crazy from how good it felt and the way Merlin was responding to him, as if he knew exactly what his body wanted and craved.

Merlin could feel Arthur's teeth bite into his ear as he panted heavily against him. He could feel Arthur's shaft all the way inside him and he tightened his wall around him, making his King moan louder in pleasure. Merlin clung to the sheets tighter as Arthur thrust into him again and again, making his body move back and forth with the force. Arthur's hands tighten their grip on Merlin's hips, sinking their nails into his skin making Merlin wince in pain as they cut into him slightly.

Arthur moved his hands upwards to wrap around Merlin's waist and he pulled him closer against his chest as he gave one final hard thrust. Merlin moved his head back and turned it slightly towards Arthur, who in return moved slightly upwards to meet Merlin's lips as they both reach their climax. They breathe into each other's partly opened mouths as their movements slowed down and Arthur finally pulled out. They relaxed into the sheets and let their eyes close. Their breathing slowing down, they were soon fast asleep. Their legs entangled with each other, Arthur's arms still wrapped around his waist, and the back of Merlin's head resting on Arthur's chin and chest.

Unbeknown to them a figure quietly moved away from the vent in one of the far walls and stepped into the shadows of the corridor. "Yes, this Merlin fellow is quite special indeed." The figure said to no one in particular as he ran his gloved finger against his lips. The figure moved further down the corridor and disappeard around a corner.


	13. The Alliance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You will start to see Arthur act a little possessive at the end of this chapter and the first part of the next, no worries he will return to normal or as normal as he can under a spell.

Merlin slowly stirred underneath the sheets. He sleepily raised a hand to rub at his eyes and, after a few seconds, finally opened them. He moved to sit up; Arthur was still fast asleep next to him in the bed. He lazily looked around, but could barely see more than a few inches past the bed. The curtains had not been closed so they provided some moonlight, but it wasn't much. Merlin moaned slightly as he moved towards the edge of the bed, his body ached all over and muscles he didn't even know he had were completely sore.

Throwing the sheets off of him, he gently pressed his bare feet to the cold floor. Merlin ignored the chillness of the room and moved to the nearest piece of clothes that belonged to him. He stumbled on one of Arthur's boots and landed flat on the floor. Cursing under his breath, he quietly rose and looked back to the bed. Arthur didn't even stir an inch; he could really sleep through anything at times.

Merlin smiled at Arthur's sleeping form and turned back to his clothes still on the floor. He began to dress, making sure to tighten the bandages on his arm. Once he was fully dressed he made his way carefully to the fireplace. After a few attempts, he managed to light it and then he made his way around the room lighting the candles.

Tripping a few more times he made his way to the window. His legs were still wobbling, the reason for that made his cheeks turn a slight red color. He then looked around the room again to inspect it and he cringed. The room was a mess; the plates were still sitting on the table half uneaten. Merlin moved about the room setting things upright. Arthur had managed to knock quite a few things down when they had been in the heat of the moment. With the reminder of their love making still evident in the room and his body, Merlin couldn't help but stare back at his sleeping King one more time with a worried look on his face. What was he to do now? He had really complicated things.

Arthur's clothes were also still scattered all over the room, he managed to gather them up and drop them into a basket located in a corner of one of the walls. He then laid a new set of clothes near the edge of the bed and made his way to the door. Merlin wanted to see how Gwaine and Percival were doing. Also a bath wouldn't be half bad, he really craved one after spending a night stuck under a tree and another one unconscious. Before heading out of the room, Merlin managed to gather his coat and with one final look back at his King he closed the door behind him and walked down the corridor.

After a few turns, he found himself completely lost. He walked into another corridor, with yet not a single guard in sight, and hesitated whether he should try to find his way back or continue forward. After a slight pause, he decided on the latter and walked further down the empty corridor. There was bound to be a guard he could ask for directions at the end of it.

Suddenly, Merlin stopped and quickly turned around; he looked down the corridor trying to make out if any of the shadows cast by the lit torches on the walls belonged to actual people. He was sure he had heard someone else. Then when he was about to reach the end of the corridor, Merlin heard two sets of voices, he recognized them for some reason. He couldn't remember why they sounded so familiar but they were coming from behind one of the doors.

Merlin glanced around again and spotted a vent that looked like it could provide a good means to peek inside. He moved towards it and climbed onto a small table, located just underneath it. He pressed his hands against the wall for support as the table was barely wide enough for his feet. After balancing himself, he slowly raised his head to peek in. Inside he could barely see two figures.

The two figures moved closer to where he was and Merlin gasped. He quickly covered his mouth and moved back towards the vent when his reaction had gone unnoticed. It was the two men who had jumped him in the woods; they seemed to be arguing about something. What where they doing in Lord Godwyn's castle? Merlin's mind was filled with questions and curiosity. Arthur hadn't mentioned how he had found him or how he had ended up in Lord Godwyn's kingdom. Had he run into them? The last thing he remembered was passing out in front of these two men. If he was here with Arthur maybe they weren't as bad as he thought they were.

He then heard one of them address the other by the name Ivor and Merlin leaned further against the wall trying to make out the rest of their conversation. "He is here to discuss a trade treaty, his people are starving and the carriages he had with him contained the items he wished to trade with." Ivor said. "And you let him reach Lord Godwyn's kingdom with them." Roderick angrily stated as he moved closer to Ivor and glared at him, pushing a gloved finger against the man's broad chest. "Remind me why I still keep you around? You are drunk half the time and this time your taste for alcohol and gambling lost us the chance to steal the carriages from right under Arthur's nose." He continued to glare at Ivor as he struggled to keep his voice under control.

"I am sorry Sire, but it wasn't my fault. That knight, Gwaine, got me thrown in the dungeons. I didn't know he was a knight." Ivor replied as he turned towards the table and then back to Roderick. "We can still bring Camelot crumbling from within. The young man, who we found in the woods, is Arthur's manservant. It appears that he is currently resting in the King's chambers."

Roderick frowned at the mention of Merlin and looked at Ivor, who looked quite content with the secrets he had uncovered. But Roderick had already known where Merlin was, he had stumbled across that little information earlier today. "And how do you intend we bring Arthur to his knees?" He asked, wondering if Ivor did in fact have a reason as to why he was still in his service.

Merlin moved back from the vent as he started to make sense of what he was hearing. His foot knocked over a vase, sending it crashing to the floor. The sound it made as it broke alerted the two men inside and Merlin quickly jumped off the table knocking it down as well. He ran down the corridor as the door started to open. He turned down a corner and pressed himself against the wall, covering his mouth with both of his hands in an attempt to muffle his breathing.

Ivor and Roderick emerge from the room and look at opposite directions, trying to see who or what had caused the noise. "Do you see anything Roderick?" Ivor asked as he walked down the corridor and back towards the door. Roderick looked at the overturned table and back up at the vent with an angry look on his face. Someone had spied on them; it was kind of ironic since he had done the same thing earlier today. Fighting a sly smile that threaten to replace his angry gaze, he raised his head back to the corridor and narrowed his eyes as he saw a shadow at the far end of it move and disappear.

XXX

Merlin managed to find his way back and was almost at Arthur's chambers, this castle was very different from Camelot. He reached the door and was about to open it when someone grabbed him from behind. He twirled around totally surprised and scared out of his boots that maybe he had been followed and discovered by Ivor and Roderick. His frightened eyes met Gwaine's laughing ones and Merlin relaxed.

"Gave you quite a scare, huh Merlin?" His friend asked as he patted Merlin on the back and moved him down the corridor. "Our Royal Highness has been selfish enough. I think you should join me and Percival. We are much more fun and I promise I won't make you do chores." Gwaine grinned even more as he looked at Merlin's face. He had finally decided after much debate to come see how his friend was doing. He hadn't had much time to see him after the physician had finished attending to him. Arthur had been worse than a mother hen and had demanded Merlin be put in his chambers and that no one bother them. Gwaine had to practically dance around Percival to get out of his room to come find Merlin.

"Cheer up, we might be leaving back home if everything turns out to her royal's satisfaction." Gwaine continued to tease as they walked out into the courtyard and to the other wing. "By the way how is your head?" The knight asked as his grin was replaced with a worried look.

"I'm fine. Thanks." Merlin replied as he rubbed his head and realized that he no longer had the bandages on. His cheeks turn a slight pink as he remembers what could have caused them to come off. They went up a set of stairs before finally entering a room and were met with angry stares from Percival. Merlin cheerfully greeted the grumpy knight and moved to sit on a bench across him.

Gwaine entered and closed the door behind him. He looked at Percival and sat down next to him. "Relax! Arthur isn't even aware that his little baby chic is away from the den." Gwaine laughed as he poured a glass of wine and jugged it in one go. "So who is up for a game of cards?" He asked as he slammed the glass on the table and moved his hands up and to the back of his head.

XXX

The door to Arthur's chambers slowly opened and Evelyn stepped in, she quietly moved farther into the room and stopped at the end of the bed.

Evelyn gasped as her eyes made out Arthur's naked form under the thin sheets and noticed the empty space on the bed next to him. She quickly covered her mouth to muffle it, her face became bright red and then her features contorted to that of pure disbelief. She rushed out dropping the flowers she carried and stumbled right into Roderick.

"What are you doing here? You're a servant of Arthur's aren't you?" Roderick asked Evelyn, who blushed and tried to move around him. "I was just cleaning his chambers. I thought since Merlin was hurt that I might help with his duties." Evelyn lied as she tilted her head to the side and tried her best to look very appealing.

As she managed to move past him she was suddenly pushed against a wall. Her feet were already a bit shaky due to what she had just stumbled on that she lost her footing. "Ouch, you are hurting me!" Evelyn accused her attacker as she nervously gained her footing again. She was cursing herself for thinking this man handsome.

"What did you see in there?" Roderick asked, his voice a tone too low, as he squeezed tighter. He wanted to know if he could use this servant in his plans or not. She didn't seem to be close to Arthur and he had noticed that one of Arthur's knights had been giving her an odd look all the way to Lord Godwyn's kingdom, one that resembled too closely the look he had given him.

Evelyn didn't know what to say. Roderick moved his face closer to her and groaned into her ear. "I asked you a question, servant. Do you know who I am? You will answer at once when royalty demands it of you." Evelyn's eyes went wide with surprise. "I saw nothing, sire." She managed to answer as her arm was already going numb and breathed in relief as the fingers grasping her arm loosened and finally let go.

Evelyn moved off the wall and made a run for it. Roderick reached for her arm and brought her to a halt. "Wait! There is one more thing I wish to know." He said as he grinned at Evelyn. "Was Merlin in there?" Roderick asked as he observed the servant carefully. "No! His manservant wasn't in the room." Evelyn spat with anger as she pulled her arm away and stepped back. This royal was trouble, but the mention of the person that had ruined everything for her drove her to lose her composure and she acted without caution.

"That poor excuse of a servant is probably getting drunk somewhere." Evelyn said a little more confident as she was rewarded with a smile from him. "Really, and I take it you don't like him very much." Roderick stated as he moved closer to her and led her down the corridor. "Maybe there is something we can do for each other." He offered, the glint he had seen cross the female servant's face told him more then she would ever admit. He had found a very useful tool to get his hands on Merlin.

XXX

A new day fought to shine though the closed curtains. The candles had long gone out as well as the fire; all that remained in the fireplace was burned ash. Arthur stirred noisily in the bed and slowly moved his hand from under his pillow and across to Merlin's side. He picked up his head when his fingers meet only sheets. "Merlin…?" Arthur groggily called out as he turned on the bed to look around the room. He took in the cleaned room and the clean set of clothes laying at the edge of the bed and frowned. Where was Merlin?

He moved off the bed and his eyes stopped on a bundle near the bed. Arthur smiled as he noticed that they were flowers and gathered them up, setting them on the bed. He quickly dressed himself, buckling his belt he looked around for his boots. Merlin had obviously forgotten about that part of his attire. Arthur moved around the room to gather them up and then sat back on the bed to put them on.

He couldn't stop smiling as he remembered how well everything was going. Merlin had accepted his feelings and even showed interest in continuing their relationship back in Camelot. He was very happy indeed and once the blasted treaty was signed by those present in Lord Godwyn's kingdom they would return home. Arthur moved to the washing stool and cleaned himself up. Drying his face and hands he ran his hand through his hair and exited the chambers to look for his ever disappearing manservant.

Arthur decided to check with Gwaine and Percival first. He knocked on their door, but received only silence and then very faint ruffles of movement coming from inside. Arthur sighed and opened the door; he stepped into the room and moved his gaze to the farthest corner past the sleeping Percival. His eyes landed on Merlin sleeping soundly on another small bed, but as he took in who was next to him Arthur lost it.

He stomped towards Merlin and his jaw went ridged, his mouth a thin line as his eyes rested on Gwaine's bare arm on Merlin's stomach. Gwaine's face was resting on Merlin's neck and the unaware knight even had one leg partly over Merlin's. Arthur struggled with pushing Gwaine off of Merlin and dragging Merlin off the bed so he did what he thought was safer. "Merlin…" Arthur screamed angrily as he made his hands into fists beside his sides.

Merlin jolted up on the bed at the mention of his name and raised a hand to his head. The pounding alone was making him dizzy. He looked around unaware of what was going on and then looked up at Arthur when his eyes landed on some very familiar brown boots near the bed. His eyes met Arthur's darkened ones and he smiled sheepishly. "What? Arthur…?" Merlin started to say when he was jerked from the bed by Arthur's hand around the back of his neck and shirt.

Gwaine stirred from the commotion and looked up at Arthur. "Ah, the mother hen is here to collect her chick…" The drunken knight teased, as the alcohol he had consumed the night before banged viciously inside his head. The sight of his bare chest made Arthur even more infuriated. "Arthur it's not…" Merlin struggled to say as he stood next to Arthur helplessly still held by the back of his neck.

"Not another word Merlin. And you…" Arthur pointed at Gwaine, "Are walking a very thin line." And with that he dragged Merlin out of the room and across the courtyard. Merlin could do nothing, but drag his feet as Arthur led him towards his chambers.


	14. Returning Home

Arthur banged Merlin hard against one of the walls just outside his chambers. His eyes were clouded with anger. "Arthur, it's not what you think." Merlin struggled to say as his back made a loud thump against the hard brick wall. The furious King brought his hand up to Merlin's slim neck and grasped it hard pushing him even further against the wall.

Merlin's eyes filled with fear and confusion; he had never seen Arthur this angry before. He brought his own hands up to Arthur's and tried to pry him off. Arthur's jaw was still ridged with pure anger and his grip tightened making it hard for Merlin to breathe, less talk.

"Really…." Arthur groaned as he stepped closer to his manservant. His eyes searched Merlin's panicked expression as if trying to catch him in a lie. He brought his face just inches from Merlin's, their lips slightly touching. Arthur moved his lips slowly towards Merlin's ear and nicked at the soft skin under it. He whispered with pure distaste, "I know what I saw Merlin."

Merlin had to struggle to hear; the lack of air was making his head dizzy and fogging his vision. His hands, still clasping Arthur's in an attempt to free his hold, tightened as his lungs did the same. Arthur moved back and relaxed his grip just enough to allow air back into his lungs, Merlin breathed it in greedily.

"Merlin I won't…" Arthur started to say, his voice still low and deep with fury, when someone called out to him from behind. He quickly released his hold on Merlin and turned around gathering his composure as best as he could. "Arthur, it is great to see that your manservant is well and about. I hope this means that you will be closing the details on the treaty today." Lord Godwyn commented as he nodded to one of the members of his council and handed him a scroll. The man retreated down the corridor with the scroll, leaving Lord Godwyn alone with Arthur and Merlin.

"Of course, I must return to Camelot and will be leaving after the meeting is concluded." Arthur replied, his tone now back to normal. "I hope you do not take offense at my absence in your feast tonight." He awkwardly smiled; Merlin's presence, just a few inches behind him, was making it hard for him to keep his emotions under control. He could hear Merlin rub his neck trying to ease the discomfort there and it reminded Arthur of what he had just been doing.

"Nonsense, its settled then. Join me for breakfast; we can discuss other matters while we eat." Lord Godwyn addressed Arthur as he led the young King down the hall and towards the dining hall. Arthur paused for a moment and called over his shoulder "Merlin you will wait in my chambers until I get back." The look he gave his manservant left no room for arguing. Merlin was unable to give any type of response, the anger in Arthur's earlier words still rang in his ears and his neck reminded him of just how much his King was unlike himself.

As they disappeared around one of the many corners that made up the castle, Merlin quietly turned around and entered Arthur's chambers with a heavy heart. He took the dirty plates and after a short hesitation left to wander the castle grounds for the kitchens, it would be a while before Arthur returned. This time he was lucky enough to bump into one of Lord Godwyn's servants and was given directions to the kitchens. The servant was even kind enough to let him know where he could get the items he needed to prepare a bath.

His body really longed for a bath and his head was filled with guilt and worry as he brought in the water and poured it into the bath. Up until now, Arthur hadn't acted like he had just moments ago. Sure there had been times when Arthur had snapped at Merlin, but not once had he intentionally hurt him. Was the potion taking a bad turn? If it was so, he had to confront Evelyn soon if he hoped to make the correct antidote to cure Arthur. Merlin sadly stared back towards the now full bath and whispered his usual incantation to heat the water.

" _Onhaete pa waeter!_ "! His eyes turned a golden hue as the water began to boil slightly and mist filled the top of the bath. At his eyes turned back to their normal color, Merlin reached for the last remaining bucket filled with cold water and poured it slowly into the bath. He dipped a finger into it and a small shy smile reached his lips. The water was perfect; he put the bucket down and moved to undress when the door suddenly opened.

Arthur stormed in, shutting the door behind him. He seemed to have forgotten about Merlin and loudly made his way to the table. He dropped into one of the chairs, ran a hand across his face and to his hair. Arthur then quickly rose when his eyes fell on Merlin, still standing next to the bath, his shirt halfway up and a confused expression on his face.

Arthur's face contorted to one of anger as he saw Merlin's half exposed ivory skin and he walked towards Merlin. He grabbed Merlin by the shirt and pulled him closer to him. "Now Merlin, tell me what is it that I got wrong." Arthur slashed out as he fought his desire to kiss Merlin and run his hands over the soft skin just inches below his grip. He was furious about what he had seen earlier, but his anger wasn't as great as it had been at that time. At breakfast he had found himself feeling guilty for acting the way he had, but Roderick's arrogance during the meal had succeeded in making him completely forget about it.

"Arthur, nothing happened between me and Gwaine." Merlin struggled to say as he tried to lower his shirt down, but Arthur's hands held it firmly. "I fell asleep. He must have been too drunk to realize the bed was occupied." Merlin nervously explained as his blue eyes gazed into Arthur's. Arthur released Merlin and stepped back, his eyes lowered to Merlin's stomach. Merlin quickly lowered his shirt back down.

"Then why was he half naked?" Arthur replied as he stepped closer to Merlin once more, his eyebrows showing his distaste to that fact. Merlin didn't know what to say about that, he hadn't even noticed that Gwaine had been shirtless. It wasn't like it was the first time he had seen Gwaine without one, he had seen Arthur in less clothes for many years now. That last thought made Merlin's cheeks turn a slight pink and Arthur cursed out loud. His ability to understand a situation when it came to Merlin was quite lacking and the young King found it irritation as well. He pushed Merlin towards the bath as his eyes glazed over with another emotion much stronger than his jealously and anger.

"I've told you before, you have me…" Merlin sadly said as he looked up at his King. "And I will never leave your side." He confessed as the edge of the bath nudged his legs. Merlin reached for Arthur's shirt to keep himself from falling in. The last time he and Arthur were near one he had ended up soaking wet still fully clothed, he really didn't want to repeat it.

Arthur grasped Merlin's hand and held it over his heart. "Then prove it to me." He ordered, his voice a low deep tone. Arthur's skin seemed to burn where Merlin's hand rested, the desire for his touch spread throughout his whole body. Merlin's eyes glued to his as Arthur greedily tugged at their clothes with his free hand. He moved his lips to Merlin's neck and pressed hungry kisses all over it as he whispered "Make love to me Merlin."

Merlin's chest was threatening to burst open. Arthur's desire was very clear and hard against his legs; his own body was already reacting to it. He wanted it so much, but at the same time his heart still felt heavy and his mind still lingered on the way Arthur had reacted earlier. "Wait! Arthur…" Merlin tried to say as he moved away from Arthur, he had to do the right thing and put an end to their relationship before it got out of hand.

Arthur's gaze alone was enough to make Merlin's body refuse to move, it had grown too attached to the pleasure it now offered and his heart felt even heavier. His lips parted to accept Arthur's kiss and Merlin moaned with frustration as he lost what little control he had over his thoughts. Arthur moved back to take his shirt off and then pressed his lips against Merlin's once more. His hands moved to Merlin's trousers and he groaned as he had to step back to pull his own trousers and boots off.

Merlin could only stare at the naked body of the person he loved the most, he was too nervous and his own hands kept slipping as he tried to take his own clothes off. Arthur pressed his body against his and pushed them into the bath. "Wait, Arthur…my clothes" Merlin called out as he tried to undress, he was not quick enough and found himself in the bath fully clothed and completely soaked.

Arthur's own mind was filled with the need to slip inside Merlin that he couldn't wait. He lowered his body over Merlin's wet one and slipped his hands into the warm water to undo the belt and trousers; lowering them he pulled Merlin's legs upwards and around him. With one thrust he was inside, the tightness and warmth exactly what he had wanted since he had woken up this morning. This feeling, the closeness of their bodies, the taste of his lips, the feeling of his touch, Arthur wanted it all.

Merlin gasped with pleasure as Arthur thrust inside him. The edge of the bath and his wet clothes rubbed against his back, but the sensations he was feeling within him drowned the discomfort of them completely. Arthur pulled away and fully kneeled inside the tub. Tugging the trousers and Merlin's boots loose he managed to toss them over his shoulders. The boots made a wet sound as they hit the floor, the trousers ended up slipping back into the water as Merlin reached out for Arthur.

He moaned at the emptiness he was feeling and Arthur brought him upwards, slipping inside him again. Arthur's hands ran up under Merlin's wet shirt, across his smooth back and to his dark hair. His fingers ran through the wet locks and tightened around the strands as he forced Merlin to ride him harder. Their gasps and moans filled the room as they continued their vigorous movements. Merlin clung to Arthur's shoulders as he felt the thickness and hardness deep inside push even further in. He tightened his legs around Arthur and winched as Arthur pushed him against the edge of the bath once more.

Arthur thrust harder into Merlin, his climax was very close. He continued to push Merlin against the bath as he fought it. Arthur moved slightly up grabbing Merlin's legs towards him making Merlin move lower. Merlin winched again as his head banged against the rim of the bath and tried to hold himself from slipping further into the water. Arthur thrusts increased and became harder and faster as they both reached their climax.

Arthur lowered his face and moaned into Merlin's ear as his breathing became more normal. His lips caressed Merlin's wet neck as he smiled wickedly. "I am ready for my bath now." Arthur teased as he pulled out and sat down on the bath tub. Merlin sat up and winched for the third time, his back was sore and it was starting to feel less like discomfort and more like pain.

"This bath wasn't for you." Merlin teased back as he looked at his trousers floating in the bath water. He grabbed them, twisted them to squish the water out before tossing them onto the floor near his boots. Arthur really needed to work on his patience, Merlin thought to himself as he stared at his soaked shirt plastered against his skin.

"What?" Arthur replied half hurt, half teasing still. "I agree you need a bath very badly Merlin, but how could you forget about my bath?" He moved back a bit in the tub adding to the display of fake disbelief. "Should I rub you with soap then?" Merlin couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous expression Arthur gave with his last comment. Arthur laughed back and the room was once again filled with noise.

Merlin reached over to the stool resting near the bath and grabbed a cloth and bar of soap. He dipped the rag into the water and rubbed the soap against it and handed it to Arthur. Arthur took it and pulled Merlin's hand towards him bring their lips together for a kiss. He slowly kissed Merlin and then stared into his eyes when their kiss ended.

"Merlin…" Arthur started to say, but Merlin's finger against his lips silenced him. "It's ok Arthur." Merlin replied as he pressed his lips against his King's for a second kiss, if there was anyone who had to be sorry Merlin felt it was him. He ignored the heaviness of his heart as the guilt threatened to sneak fully back in and proceeded to bath his beloved King, blushing ever so often when his fingers touched skin.

XXX

Roderick entered the dining hall and tightened the gloves on his hands. He moved to greet Lord Godwyn and a few other royals. His eyes moved across the room for a particular servant, but his face expressed disappointment as he turned his attention back to Lord Godwyn. "I suppose the young Pendragon won't be rewarding us with his presence tonight." Roderick commented as he motioned for Ivor to take a seat on the table nearest the door. He had no desire to stay long if his plan had been pushed back by the stubborn King.

"As luck has it, Arthur will be joining us tonight." Lord Godwyn replied happily taking a seat and offering Roderick the seat to his left before turning his attention to his daughter. Elena sat on the right side, opposite of Roderick and greeted both her father and Roderick with a sweet smile. With a quick greeting to Elena, Roderick sat down and reached for his wine. "Then it will be a very interesting night." Roderick said out loud to no one in particular as he grinned and set his goblet back on the table.

The doors opened and Arthur entered followed closely by Merlin, Gwaine, and Percival. The two knights quickly made their way towards another table and were soon eating and drinking away before Arthur reached Lord Godwyn. He greeted Elena and her father, it had been quite a long time since he had last seen Elena and she seemed to be fairing very well. Arthur tried to relax in his chair as Merlin made his way back from the serving table to stand near one of the pillars behind him holding a pitcher of wine.

Arthur tried not to stare at Roderick as he fought to forget their encounter in the woods. He was very aware of the looks Roderick kept directing towards his manservant and it didn't sit well with him. Arthur raised his goblet for more wine; it would seem he would need it to survive the feast.

Merlin scratched the back of his neck as he looked around the room for Evelyn and then rushed to Arthur when he noticed the annoyed look the king had as he held his cup higher. He quickly poured some wine and made to move back when Arthur gulped it down and motioned for more. Merlin gave him a worried look, but did as he was told. Merlin could feel Roderick's eyes on him and he did not feel comfortable with the attention he was getting from him. He hoped Evelyn would show up and give him the chance to confront her.

"I see you brought your manservant, are you sure he is well enough to be about?" Roderick teased with a fake tone of concern. Arthur tightened his grip on his cup as he did the best he could to refrain from throwing the wine at him. Roderick started a conversation with Lord Godwyn when it was apparent Arthur was not going to reply to his teasing yet.

Merlin took the opportunity to move closer to Arthur and whispered "Are you sure you should drink so much? You know how you get when you're drunk." Merlin asked as he remembered the last time Arthur had almost walked about the castle with no trousers. Arthur just gave him an irritated look and gestured for more wine. He sighed and started to pour the wine, Merlin could tell he wasn't going to be able to enjoy the feast.

"How is your father, King Alined? I hear he was quite upset that he couldn't make it out." Lord Godwyn addressed Roderick with a warm smile. "He is over it; I promised him that I would make it a well worth trip and make him proud." Roderick stated, the hidden intention to his words falling short to everyone around the table. His father had been the one to come up with the original plan in the first place, but had been forced to stay behind due to some threat in some of the larger villages to the north.

A loud bang from behind them made them turn around; Arthur quickly turned back to his plate and rubbed his forehead when he saw what had caused it. Merlin had been too shocked to discover that Roderick was in fact a prince and that his father was none other than Alined that he had knocked over one of the candle holders near where he stood. The candle holder now rested near his feet and Merlin moved to pick it up all the while juggling the pitcher in his other hand. Merlin clearly remembered Alined, he had tried to cause war the last time he visited Camelot by slipping a love potion to Arthur and Lady Vivian.

"I thought you were going back home?" Roderick asked Arthur turning his attention back to the table, a wide grin on his face. It seemed Merlin was turning out to be quite entertaining. Arthur continued to flatly ignore him and gulped another cup of wine. "I suppose you will be leaving tomorrow." Roderick continued as he inched closer to Arthur, taunting the young Pendragon even more. "What would your people say if they saw their King now, having a grand feast while they only ate scraps?" He mocked hinting at knowing the real reason Arthur was here.

Arthur's jaw went ridged; he was infuriated no one was supposed to know of the plight Camelot was currently going through. He had gone to great measures to ensure this information didn't leak out, the neighboring kingdoms couldn't know of it or they might be tempted to break their treaty. Arthur quickly hid his reaction. "I have no idea what you are talking about, my people are well off." He replied with an even more fake smile then the one Roderick was giving him.

"So you wouldn't mind me visiting, just to see for myself the grandness that is Camelot?" Roderick asked as he slowly drank from his own goblet, the rim hiding his devilish grin. "Get this straight Roderick, I don't like you. I let you live thanks to your father, but don't push me or I won't make the same mistake again." Arthur replied, his voice low enough just for Roderick to hear. "You are not welcome in Camelot, royal or not." He ended the conversation and turned his attention to playing with his food.

Roderick ignored the threat in Arthur's voice and continued his taunting. "A short visit to your kingdom is not much to ask; after all I must see this great kingdom everyone keeps talking about." Roderick added as he looked back to Merlin. "My father can't seem to stop talking about it." He gestured for Merlin to pour him some wine as well; making sure none of the other servants saw his request.

Merlin paused for a moment before moving to fill Roderick's goblet. Just as he was about to tip the pitcher, Arthur's hand moved the pitcher back. "He is my manservant, not yours." Arthur declared to Roderick with an icy tone. Merlin could hear his heart start to beat rapidly, he slowly moved back and turned his gaze somewhere else and almost dropped it as he spotted Evelyn slip into the dining hall from a side entrance. She stood among the other servants on the far side of the hall near the main doors and she appeared to be looking for someone.

Their gaze met and Arthur's protest as Merlin spilled the wine on his hand and the floor never reached his ears in time. Evelyn smiled wickedly at him and turned to leave. Merlin moved towards her, but was stopped by Arthur's calls. "Merlin…" Arthur called to his manservant as he wiped his wet hand with a cloth. Merlin turned around with a sheepish smile on his face. "Sorry… I will get something to clean it up." And with that he made his way to where Evelyn had disappeared setting the almost empty pitcher on a nearby table and leaving Arthur to gawk at his back.

Merlin walked into the hallway, but Evelyn was nowhere in sight. He quickly made his way down the corridor and was pulled into a hidden corner. His surprised eyes met Evelyn's dark ones and he had to fight his magic back as he yanked his hand free. "I have something to tell you. Come to the courtyard in an hour." Evelyn told Merlin as she walked out of their hiding spot and back to the dining hall. Merlin was tempted to pull her back, but she was already past the guards and the double doors.

He made his way back as well and was stopped by Gwaine as he clasped his back and tried to sit him down next to him. Merlin looked up towards Arthur and saw him giving him a look of pure jealously. Merlin excused himself from Gwaine and made his way back to Arthur. The hour passed by very slowly and Merlin managed to sneak out of the hall, thanking the vast amount of alcohol Arthur had drunk. The young Pendragon was already fighting staying conscious as Roderick continued to picker next to him.

XXX

Merlin walked down the set of stairs towards the courtyard, the chilly air nicked at his neck and he tightened his jacket around his thin frame. He looked around the darkened corners of the castle trying to spot Evelyn. Suddenly a shadow moved across the farthest wall and around a bend. Merlin couldn't see very clearly, the figure moved a little too fast, but he gave chase none the less. He was determined to confront Evelyn and put an end to her schemes.

As Merlin turned the corner, he stumbled right into Roderick. His face filled with confusion and then fear as he tried to back up the way he had come. Merlin's moved slightly forward as his back bumped into something solid. He was trapped and could do nothing but look at the tall figure of Ivor. Turning his attention back to Roderick, Merlin tried to hide his worried expression. The odds didn't look good, it was quite dark and no one had seen him sneak out.

Roderick grabbed Merlin's arm and pulled him towards his chest. "What do we have here?" He teases as he brushed a bare finger across Merlin's soft lips; he smiled wickedly as he felt them slightly tremble under his skin. "We keep meeting like this, perhaps it is destiny." Roderick whispered into Merlin's ear as he brought his lips towards Merlin's. Ivor just laughed at the way his master was acting towards a servant. He looked around making sure they weren't seen and rested his back on a pillar moving a little back to the side.

Merlin quickly moved back managing to twist his arm free when he saw his chance. He quickly dashed past Ivor back the way he had come. Ivor just stood against the pillar dumbfounded as Roderick yelled at him and made chase. He cursed under his breath and followed them back to the courtyard. Merlin's feet decided to pick the worst moment to trip and he fell to the ground. Roderick soon gained on him and was on him by the time he had managed to catch his breath and get up.

Roderick ensured his grasp was tighter this time as he spun Merlin around. His face reflected his anger at the fact that Merlin had almost gotten away again. Merlin tried to free himself again, but was unsuccessful. His heart beat rapidly at the truth of his predicament and he bit on his bottom lip as Roderick moved to kiss him. Suddenly Roderick was pushed to the ground and Merlin moved to make a run for it, he glanced back and saw Ivor wrestling with someone on top of the prince.

Merlin stopped in his tracks as he felt relief come over him. The other person had moved slightly and the moonlight reflected on his face to reveal none other than Gwaine. The knight was on top of Roderick trying to land a few punches, but Ivor had managed to detain his arms. Roderick realized who his attacker was and moved from under him, getting to his feet. "What are you doing?" He yelled as he moved towards Ivor and Gwaine, his voice of authority ringing through the darkness.

Gwaine's vision was blurred by the fury he felt at stumbling across Merlin and the two men; he had acted on pure instinct and thrown himself on Roderick. Arthur might have a crazy reason to allow them near Merlin, but he did not and he would not stand for them putting their filthy hands all over his friend. As he looked up at Roderick, he freed himself from Ivor and managed to land a punch on the man's face making him stumbled backwards. Ivor regained his footing and looked at the knight half confused, half surprised at the force of the punch.

Gwaine quickly made his way to Merlin, pulling his friend safely behind him. He took a small dagger from the inside of his boot and pointed it at Roderick and Ivor. "You will stay away from Merlin." Gwaine spat as his jaw tightened with hatred towards the two men. "I won't warn you again." He threatened as he fought the need to run the dagger into them.

Roderick wasn't about to chance a fight with one of Arthur's knights, even if that knight seemed to reek of more alcohol then a tavern. He motioned for Ivor to step down and follow him and they went back to the feast. Roderick would have other opportunities; Evelyn would make sure of it and he would make sure Ivor took care of that pestering knight.

Gwaine's gaze lingered on Roderick and Ivor until they vanished inside the castle and he heard Merlin shift behind him. "Thank you Gwaine." Merlin replied with pure appreciation and relief. Gwaine moved back the way he had come and bend down. Picking up something from the ground and patting the dirt off he tossed it at Merlin, who realized right away that it was his jacket. He had left it in Gwaine's and Percival's chambers this morning when Arthur had whisked him off.

"I went back to get your jacket when I saw you leave. It's a good thing too!" Gwaine told Merlin as he moved back towards his friend and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Are you ok?" He asked as he lifted his leg to nudge the dagger back to its hiding spot. Merlin was close to tears at the danger he had put his friend in due to his mistake, he quietly nodded as they walked back up the stairs.

When they were near Arthur's chambers, Merlin stopped and turned to face Gwaine. "Don't tell Arthur." He softly pleaded to his friend. Roderick was the son of one of the Kings who held a peace treaty with Camelot, if Arthur found out Roderick's intentions who knew what chaos would come of it.

"Merlin, you know I can't do that…" Gwaine started to say when they heard a ruffle behind the door. Merlin shifted and gave his friend another pleading look before thanking him one more time and disappearing behind the door. Gwaine shook his head and tightened his hands into fists as he made his way to his own chambers. He had a half mind to stomp to Roderick's chambers and stick his dagger into his heart.

XXX

Merlin leaned against the door and sighed deeply. Why couldn't he catch a break? If it wasn't Arthur going all crazy it was something else. A loud noise brought Merlin back to his senses and he looked up to see Arthur cursing as he rubbed his bare foot. The drunken King had banged it against the edge of the bed as he had tried to make his way to Merlin. He moved from the door and made his way to Arthur.

Merlin started to undress Arthur, who all the time was trying to land kisses on Merlin's lips. "Arthur, I am trying to undress you." He said as he fought with Arthur's shirt and after a few tugs managed to pull it off. "Well, if you insist…" Arthur groggily replied as he tugged at the hem of his trousers, completely misinterpreting Merlin's words.

A smile crossed Merlin's face and he couldn't help laughing at how drunken Arthur had gotten. "I can't leave you alone for a moment and you get this drunk." He told Arthur, his voice echoing a more relaxed tone. As they both struggled with Arthur's trousers, they fell to the ground their limbs tangling with each other. Merlin groaned in pain as his back reminded him of the bruise starting to form there. "Arthur, come on….you need your rest." His plea fell on deaf ears as Arthur ran his hands under his shirt and over his flat stomach.

"Merlin, ride me!" Arthur said as he staggered to his feet dragging Merlin up by his handkerchief. He moved them to the bed and fell backwards onto it. Merlin moved his hands to Arthur's hips and moved him the rest of the way up the bed. Climbing the bed, Merlin cradled Arthur and bend to land a kiss on his lips. Arthur replied hungrily as he ran his hands to Merlin's shirt.

Merlin froze, "Leave it on, it's a bit chilly." He replied as he tugged at the back of his shirt covering up his bruise. Arthur seemed not to like the fact that he couldn't see a naked Merlin and motioned for the candles. "Just light a few…" he said as he pulled at Merlin's bottom lip and pressed their hips closer together. Merlin tried to think of a comeback, but found himself stuck. He moved to get off the bed and was stopped by Arthur's hands on his hips.

"You did tell me to light some candles." Merlin stated as he moved Arthur's hands off him and made his way to the fireplace. He managed to find some flint and a firestone to light a few candles near the bed. Arthur was quite silent and Merlin didn't think anything of it as he returned to his side. As he got on the bed he noticed Arthur had fallen asleep. Merlin pulled the sheets from under Arthur and covered him with them before setting himself next to him. It had been a very long day and in moments he was also fast asleep, his arm resting comfortably across Arthur's waist.

XXX

The next day arrived too quickly and everyone prepared for their departure. Merlin had managed to get up early and prep the horses. Gwaine and Percival were already standing near theirs. One of the wagons was now empty, the supplies successfully traded off, and the other carried the remainder of their own supplies. Simon and Evelyn were sitting on the back of the second wagon talking among each other as they all waited for Arthur to wrap up his farewell to Lord Godwyn and Elena.

A handshake and a bow later Arthur was on his horse and the party departed. They rode for hours on end, no one really saying anything but most of them glad to be heading back home. As soon as the sun threatened to disappear over the horizon, Arthur signaled for them to make camp. Gwaine and Percival, along with the rest of the knights dismount their horses and secured their location. Arthur made his way towards Merlin, who was busy removing the saddles from the horses.

"Do you need help?" Arthur asked Merlin when he saw him struggling with the clasps. "I'm fine Arthur; see the cut on my hand is all but gone." Merlin stated as he turned his hand up for Arthur to see. "Good, I was going to ask Simon or Evelyn to give you a hand, but I think you need the exercise." Arthur teased as he picked up a stick and nudged it at Merlin's back. "You're much slower then you normally are."

Merlin smiled back comically as he turned his attention back to the saddles. One of the knights called to Arthur and he walked off somewhat saddened to have his conversation with Merlin put on pause. Merlin, however, was quite happy with the distraction as he rubbed his back and moved to set up Arthur's tent. He was finished in half the time he normally took and he moved towards the surrounding trees to gather wood.

Arthur was still in the middle of a conversation with one of the knights as he gestured to the woods around their camp. His eyes fell on Merlin as he moved past a large tree further from the clearing. Giving one final order to the knight, Arthur made to follow his manservant. Evelyn stepped in front of him and blushed nervously as she fidgeted with her green dress. "Sire, I was wondering what you would like to have Simon cook for you." She said as she struggled to come up with something to detain the king.

"What?" Arthur asked half distracted by the gut feeling he was having and the out of nowhere question Evelyn was asking. He looked at her and failed to think of a reply; instead he excused himself and pushed past her towards the direction Merlin had gone. One would think that Merlin had learned to stay in eye sight after what had happened to him the last time they had stopped to camp.

Arthur stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes fell on Merlin and Roderick kissing. Merlin was pressed up against a tree and the man's hands were resting on his hips caressing the skin under his shirt. Arthur forced his feet to move and he walked towards them prying Roderick off of Merlin. He punched Roderick in the face and reached for Merlin making his way back to camp. Roderick fell to the ground by the force of it and rubbed his chin trying to massage the pain away; Ivor stepped from behind the tree and muffled a laugh as he too remembered the punch he had received the night before.

Arthur managed to reach his tent; he dragged Merlin towards the center of it and turned around to glare at him. "What is it with you Merlin and your lack of understanding?" Arthur yelled at Merlin as he let go of his arm. "Must I express some claim over you?" Arthur asked with a touch of sadness in his voice.

Merlin couldn't think of anything to say, what could he say? Every time he tried to do his duties he found himself in some type of situation. "It's not what you think…" Merlin struggled to say as he looked back at Arthur, tugging at the hem of his jacket.

"It's never what I think…you keep saying that." Arthur furiously stated as he moved closer to Merlin and rubbed his gloved fingers against Merlin's redden lips. He wanted to erase the fact that someone else had kissed his lips, someone who wasn't him. Merlin got tense as Arthur's hands began to pull on his sleeve, the bandages on his arm loosened and he quickly stepped back pushing Arthur away.

"Wait!" Merlin exclaimed as he pulled his sleeve back down over his bandages. The young King was in no mood to take a refusal from Merlin, not at the moment, and he snapped. He tugged at Merlin's jacket as he pulled him towards him. Arthur lowered his gaze to Merlin's arm and saw the white material under his sleeve.

"Let me see your arm." He groaned at Merlin as he brought his arm upwards and tugged harder making Merlin fall against him. Arthur's lips tightened into a thin line as he brought his other hand up. He pushed Merlin's jacket off and yanked the sleeve of his shirt back pulling at Merlin's bandages, he clearly remembered how he had been denied the right to check on his injured arm the first time he had found out about it. "What exactly is it Merlin that you don't want me to see." He yelled as he pulled the rest of the bandages, yanking them off. They fell to the ground near their feet, Merlin's arm completely exposed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We start seeing some of the angst coming back into the story and Arthur getting affected by the potion in other ways. Ten chapters to go before this story ends. Might make a sequel; let me know what you think about that. The beginning of this chapter was highly influenced by the scene in Episode: The Witch's Quickening, where Arthur accidently pushes Merlin to the wall thinking he is an intruder and apologizes after letting him go. I wanted to show how unlike Arthur he was by doing the same thing but on purpose and not apologizing, plus that was a very hot scene and I just had to recreate it.


	15. Closed Calls

Merlin's eyes widened in horror as he stared at Arthur, the young King's eyes were still glued to his arm. For a brief moment the silence filled the tent and then Merlin wiggled his arm as he tried to break free, but Arthur's grip was too strong. His mind was filled with fear and sadness, how could he even start to explain? This was it; he had lost Arthur forever.

"Are you playing some sort of joke?" Arthur asked in frustration as he let go of Merlin's arm and looked up to meet his watery blue eyes. He would never be able to fully understand what went on in that head, but he did know one thing for certain, when it came to Merlin there was never a dull moment.

Merlin looked at his arm and then back to Arthur, a sense of both relief and surprise filled his thoughts. There were no markings on his skin resembling Arthur's name, no golden glow, nothing but pale skin. Then Gaius's words echoed in the back of Merlin's mind, "Once the words are spoken it will mark the recipient of his affections with his name. The effect will only last a few days." How many days had passed exactly? Merlin wondered to himself forgetting that Arthur was still looking at him with a murdering gaze.

"Explain, now!" Arthur demanded as his tone dropped a pitch lower. He really wasn't in the mood for Merlin's guessing games, all he wanted to do was go outside and kill Roderick. However, after his words were spoken, his anger died down almost instantly as he saw Merlin's struggling expression.

"I'm a fast healer…" Merlin half heartily joked as he partly raised his shoulders up, hands gesturing his complete cluelessness. He hoped Arthur would accept the answer and drop the issue when the opening of the tent was pulled to the side and a knight entered. It seemed he was safe for the moment.

"Sorry my King, I called out but you did not respond. There is a commotion outside that requires your attention." The knight cleared his throat of the knot that had suddenly appeared as he saw the anger in Arthur's eyes get directed at him. He quickly bowed at Arthur and with a nervous glance at Merlin the knight was gone as quickly as he had entered.

Arthur sighed deeply, rubbed his forehead with a gloved hand and then glanced at Merlin hinting for him to stay put. He exited the tent, holding tightly to the hilt of his sword. The faster he was back at Camelot the better, Arthur thought to himself as he made his way to where the knight was now standing completely failing to pay attention to the faint but clumsy footsteps behind him.

XXX

Gwaine could barely make out what the voices around him were saying; his ears rang with the echo of his blood pumping with pure anger. He pressed the dagger deeper into Roderick's neck, a slight trail of blood coating it. His eyes burned through the man's stubborn ones as the smile on the royal's face refused to disappear.

"If you are going to kill me, then just do it." Roderick hissed at Gwaine with unadulterated disgust. Things were getting quite tiring and repetitive when it surrounded the disheveled knight and the hot headed King. Roderick could hear Ivor pacing behind him, unsure of what to do. He had already told Ivor to not interfere a while ago when he had first felt the attack coming, but the knight seemed more stubborn then Roderick had first thought.

"I warned you last night…" Gwaine snared as if wanting to bear his teeth at the man. He had been filled with disbelief when Roderick and Ivor had emerged from the woods shortly after Arthur and Merlin. Gwaine had thought he had made his threat very clear the last time he had confronted Roderick and Ivor, but it seemed like they were determined to keep him to it.

"Gwaine…" Arthur called out as the unfolding events before him sank in. He gestured for Percival to pull Gwaine back and unshielded his own sword. His boots made no sound as he moved past Gwaine and pushed Roderick further to the edge of the camp.

"Oh are you here to save me, Arthur?" Roderick mocked as his eyes narrowed at the sword quickly moving towards him. The look in Arthur's eyes far outweighed the danger the knight's had reflected. In a last minute effort, Roderick managed to dodge the blow and the sword pierced the side of his armor and chainmail, only scratching briefly the side of his ribcage.

Gwaine struggled to free himself from Percival's grasp as his vision once again blurred red; he gripped his dagger tighter but was unable to loosen the giant of a man. Then his eyes fell on Ivor, who had been standing idly back until Roderick had winced at the draw of blood. The man had unshielded his own sword and was ready to protect his master. Gwaine turned his attention to him instead, but that proved fruitless as well he was still tightly held back.

"I spared your life! You are not welcomed in Camelot and still you dare enter my kingdom, try to take what is mine." Arthur whispered into his ear as he pulled his sword out and moved to once again strike. His mind was filled with images of Roderick and Merlin kissing, of his hands moving across Merlin's ivory skin, and the wicked smile on his arrogant face as he had punched him.

"We aren't in Camelot yet and do you want to start a war with Lord Godwyn, is that what you want?" Roderick replied with conviction as he grasped his injured side. Arthur stepped back slightly, his sword still lingering cautiously by his side as he tried to read Roderick's meaning. "I am to wed Elena; if you kill me you are knowingly starting a war with her father." The prince finished his argument as he motioned for Ivor to hand Arthur a scroll.

Arthur yanked it from Ivor's hand and pulled it open. His eyes moved over the scroll and then he tossed it at Roderick's feet. "It seems like you are saved yet again, but do not think I will open my doors. You are to leave before dust." Arthur growled as he made his way back to his tent, pausing in his tracks as he finally noticed Merlin standing a few ways behind Percival. He sighed and moved towards him.

"Arthur, we aren't done yet." Roderick ordered with complete certainty ringing in his voice as he picked up the scroll. He quickly straightened himself as Arthur rushed towards him once again. Grabbing him by the neck, Arthur leaned closer to him. Their eyes seemed to be taking part in an internal fight as they remained still, the spectators held their breaths as they watched wondering what would happen next.

"If you don't let me visit Camelot, I will make sure Lord Godwyn hears of this and I will also make sure Elena never enjoys a single moment of her union with me." Roderick said just low enough for only Arthur to hear. "I know how chivalrous you are Arthur, would you let an innocent woman suffer for your selfish actions. Just three days in Camelot and I will even gladly consider ending the engagement all together."

Arthur could do nothing, but release his hold, as he struggled with his heart and mind. Elena would never agree to a marriage without love, but yet she had agreed to the arrangement party he himself had witness just the night before. Her love to her father and fear of no heir had put her in such a position and in the grasp of Roderick.

"Only three days, if you approach those you are forbidden to I will forget this little agreement." Arthur declared with distaste as he made his way back to his tent. Merlin opened his lips to say something, but was quickly dragged by Arthur back the way he had come. He could only look back at Gwaine and Percival.

What mess awaited them back in Camelot? He thought to himself as he was pushed into the tent and to the bed. Merlin was filled with guilt and dread as he made contact with the sheets, he needed to confront Evelyn and find out what potion she used. Arthur needed to be cured before all of Camelot went to war because of it.

"Arthur," Merlin said as he felt the bed dip with the weight of his King. "There is still some light out, someone could see us." His plea falling against deaf ears as before, Arthur's intentions were very clear and his anger seemed to have subsided. Merlin was thankful as Arthur moved from the bed when realization that he still had his armor on and that it would be quite difficult to make love to him still wearing it.

Arthur glanced at the flap of his tent and he could feel his desire to go back outside and do what every part of his body, heart, and mind wanted to do. The anger he felt scared Arthur and he needed Merlin more than ever. Arthur needed the comfort and warmth Merlin offered and it spread through his entire body, he desired to forget that he was King and all the difficult decisions that came with it. Even if it was just for the night, Arthur wanted to be his true self with Merlin, a man in love.

Merlin looked up at Arthur and saw the conflict in his eyes and he understood that his last assumption had been completely wrong. Arthur's rage was still there, ever present in those royal blue eyes of his. He rose from the bed and made his way to him; in silence he pressed his lips against Arthur's and then started to remove his armor.

XXX

Roderick sat leaning on a tree, his sword had been confiscated by Arthur's knights as well as any hidden weapons he had on him just as he had suspected they would. Ivor was flirting with Evelyn and chatting about different foods with Simon a few ways off. Roderick rose to his feet and made to move into the woods, Gwaine pulled at his arm.

"Where do you think you are going?" Gwaine called to him, his voice still reflecting the anger he had only shown moments ago. Roderick turned to face him and he yanked his arm free with even greater disgust. A smile reached his face as he looked behind the chivalrous knight and noticed that Ivor and Evelyn were no longer in the camp.

"I am planning to relieve myself; did you want to watch me? I can let you hold it if you like." Roderick teased as he turned his back to the knight and made his way into the woods. Gwaine's jaw tensed as he sat back down and looked towards the direction Roderick disappeared to.

Roderick made his way cautiously through the trees and stopped ever so often to make sure he wasn't being followed. It didn't take long for him to meet up with Ivor and Evelyn. Evelyn quickly handed him the dagger he had given her before they had departed from Lord Godwyn's castle. He slipped it into his boot, the green jewels decorating the hilt shining slight in the moonlight.

"I assume you remember the plan." Roderick told them as he moved his hand towards Ivor, palm up. He cleared his throat once Ivor failed to present him with what he was asking for. Ivor shifted in the dark as he struggled to free something from one of his hidden pockets.

"We are good; I managed to take it from Lord Godwyn's physician like you requested." Ivor whispered to his master as he pressed a small brown bottle into his palm. "The old man was completely knocked out with the ale I send him." He beamed as he chuckled at the easy steal. Roderick turned the bottle in his hands, the night partly hiding the label on it, and then handed it back to Ivor.

Evelyn played with her hair as she contemplated what to say next. "Sire, what you promised me?" She asked as she tried her best to flash her beauty at the royal prince. Roderick slowly took a pouch from around his belt and handed it to her, reminding her that her part wasn't fully done. Evelyn quickly hid it under her dress and thanked him.

The party disbanded and disappeared into the night as they made their way back to camp unseen. Gwaine emerged from behind a large tree and shielded his sword. He had managed to sneak up on them and caught everything they had said, but he wasn't sure what their plan was. The knight was compelled to tell Merlin and was unsure how he would even explain it to Arthur. With greater suspicion of the three, he returned to camp as well.

XXX

Merlin gasped as Arthur slipped two fingers inside him, his exposed hips moved upwards making them slide further in. He licked his lips nervously as Arthur moved them in and out, stretching him, preparing him. Just before their lips touched, they stared deeply into each other's eyes speaking the words they were too scared to say at the moment.

Arthur brought their lips together with his free hand and their kiss deepened as his fingers grazed Merlin's sensitive spot. He felt his shaft get even harder as Merlin's moans reached his ears. The desire to make Merlin moan even louder with need was driving him mad. Arthur slipped his fingers out and moved to remove Merlin's shirt.

His fingers brushed that soft skin that was imprinted in his mind too clearly as he pulled the garment the rest of the way off. With one swift movement, Arthur raised Merlin's hips and pushed inside. It seemed like it had been too long since he had last felt the warmth and taste of Merlin. His body shook with longing as he thrust deeper bringing their bodies closer, the tightness threatening to make him come.

Merlin winched as his back started to hurt. He wanted to give Arthur what he needed, what his own body craved to give, but the pain was unbearable as the sheets rubbed against his bruised skin. "Arthur, wait my back…" Merlin gasped between thrusts as his eyes filled with both pleasure and hurt.

Arthur felt Merlin's hand on his arm tug at him and he stopped. "What is wrong?" He asked as he grasped the look of pain on Merlin's tender features and tried to bring his breathing back to normal. Pulling out he moved back a little, bringing Merlin up and towards him.

"My back…" Merlin stated a little more clearly this time as he moved to sit across from Arthur. Arthur turned him slightly to the left bringing his back into view and he cursed under his breath. The single candle that was lit and resting near their bed provided enough light for Arthur to see Merlin's upper back; it was a mixture of blues and purples.

"How did you get that?" Arthur asked, his anger rising as he tried to forget the possibility that it could have been caused by Roderick. He looked at Merlin and brushed a hand gently across the side of his face when he wasn't given a response. Merlin's face had turned a light red as he looked down at his hands.

"I got it in the bath… yesterday." Merlin slowly replied as his face turned even redder. Arthur looked at him with a puzzled expression that turned to understanding and then regretful. Merlin had gotten that bruise because of his lack of control. Arthur's hands tensed at his side as he struggled with the painful feeling in his gut.

"I didn't mean to hurt you Merlin." Arthur said kissing him tenderly, their kiss turning passionate and intense as their bodies remembered their closeness. "Turn around." He told Merlin as he helped him lay on his stomach. Bringing his hips upwards, Arthur positioned himself behind him. He slowly pushed inside Merlin grasping his hips as the urge to thrust faster filled him. He wanted to go slow and show Merlin he still had some restrain on his body.

Merlin clung to the sheets tightly and pushed his face against the pillow trying to muffle his cries of pleasure as Arthur thrust slowly and deeper into him. His lower body moved to match Arthur's thrusts and he grasped one of Arthur's hands and brought it to his lips. Slipping the middle finger into his mouth he sucked and bit on it as the pleasure became unbearable.

"Arthur" Merlin moaned as he pleaded for release. Arthur couldn't hold back any longer and he thrust hard and fast into Merlin again and again. After a few more thrusts they came together, their heavy panting filling the space between them. Arthur held Merlin gently, making sure not to press his chest too tightly against his back, and murmured a sorry into his ear.

Merlin turned around, pushed Arthur backwards and straddled him wrapping his legs around Arthur's waist. "It's understandable Arthur; you can't be perfect all the time." He teased as he kissed his beloved King. Their kiss grew deeper and then gentle as they embraced each other before pulling apart.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at him and then grinned sheepishly. "Does that mean you are up for another go?" The young King pushed Merlin to the bed playfully, following suit but making sure to turn Merlin to his side. He brought the sheets up to cover them and rested his head on the pillow. "I'll be more careful from now on Merlin and one more thing I am perfect." And with a small laugh from Merlin, both lovers fell asleep completely satisfied and unaware of the plot against them.

XXX

Merlin shifted on his saddle, uneasiness rising up from the pit of his stomach as he saw Camelot come into view. They had camped one more night at Arthur's request; the King had seemed more reluctant to reach Camelot once Roderick had shown up. The young King was becoming highly possessive and Merlin feared what could come from his brass actions. But now they were home and there was much to do if they were to cure Arthur.

The party galloped through the lower towns towards the courtyard. Arthur dismounted his horse and handed the rails to a young boy standing quietly to the side. "Merlin…" He called over his shoulder as he climbed the stairs two at a time and made his way to his chambers. Slamming the doors open, Arthur moved to undress and then paused when another set of footsteps failed to enter his chambers. He rolled his eyes and stomped back the way he had come.

Merlin was still struggling with unfastening his belongings from the horse, when he felt someone yank on the collar of his jacket. He half stared at his still saddled horse and the surprised stable boy as he was dragged up the stairs and inside the castle. Merlin stumbled into Arthur's chambers as he was shoved through the doors.

"Really, Merlin do you want Roderick to use you as his main pair of boots?" Arthur commented as he closed the door behind them. "Help me with my armor. I would like to rest sometime this night." Arthur continued as he moved towards Merlin and spread his arms allowing Merlin to remove his armor.

Fully free of his armor and dirty garments Arthur moved towards the bed, he had been unable to sleep very much the last two nights and he was in dire need of a goodnight rest, which he intended to have and having Merlin in the same room was proving hard to do. "You are dismissed for the rest of the evening. I want you to remain in your chambers until I call for you. Is that clear Merlin?" Arthur ordered over his shoulder as he hugged one of his pillows and let himself fall asleep.

"Yes sire." Merlin replied and took his leave, somewhat relieved and saddened by the lack of affection he would have to go through that night. He shook his head reminding himself that finding Arthur a cure had to be the only thing on his mind as he made his way to his and Gaius' chambers.

XXX

Evelyn entered her old room in the tavern and closed the door leaning on it heavily. A feeling in her gut made her quickly turn around and a gasp escaped her lips as the old hag came out of the shadows and into view. "What..? How…?" Evelyn struggled to say as she pointed her finger at the sorceress. Then realization crossed her face and she made her way further into the room, "I, the potion didn't work as it should have. I need another one to fix it."

The old hag laughed as she held out her hand. She shook her extended empty hand and grinned showing even more of her crooked teeth. Evelyn looked at the thin ragged fingers and then pulled a small sack from under her skirt. She handed it to over and crossed her arms in frustration. "You have no idea what I had to do to get that."

A small container was pushed into her hand and then the room was filled with gushes of wind. Once the room was back to normal, Evelyn found she was alone. She quickly reached for the candle on the side table before exiting the room. This time she would not make the same mistake, she weaved her way through the Castle corridors to the hidden servant door that lead to Arthur's chambers.

Glancing behind her she slowly pushed it open. The room was dark; the windows offered very little light. Setting the candle holder down near the bed, Evelyn made her way to the edge of Arthur's bed and stared at the sleeping King. She took the small container from under her sleeve and uncorked it. Evelyn grinned victoriously at the purple liquid inside still bubbling and moved to slip Arthur the potion. King Arthur Pendragon would finally be hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who really wanted Arthur to find out, believe me when I say that it will be much more epic when it actually happens. Forgive me for moving things very rapidly in this chapter; the story was dragging a bit. There are only 9 chapters left before we reach the end, countdown yeah! I know that Arthur and Merlin might have acted a bit out of character here; I have been on Merlin withdrawal for too long. It's been a while since I last had the chance to really sit back and watch a few episodes; so I will just blame the potion and Merlin's recent discover of his undying love for Arthur. Also about Roderick and his constant scroll giving, it is part of his character and it plays a very important part in a later chapter so please bear with it, it's the last one I swear.


	16. Diabolical Plans and Twisted Turns

Gwaine stood at the bottom of the stairs leading to Merlin's and Gaius' room. The knight had been hesitating whether to knock on the door when he had noticed Merlin heading towards him. Gwaine quickly crossed the small space between them and grabbed Merlin by the shoulders. "Have you seen Evelyn?" He asked as his voice echoed the worry and suspicion he had bared on his own all the way back to Camelot.

"No I haven't, why?" Merlin replied half curious on why Gwaine was looking for the one responsible for enchanting Arthur. He had planned to search her out once he had spoken with Gaius. Gwaine looked around as if expecting someone to be eavesdropping on them and then met his eyes.

"I caught her with Roderick and Ivor; they were talking about a plan. I am worried that they will try something on Arthur or you." Gwaine replied adding emphasizes on his last word as he let go of Merlin's shoulders and ran one hand through his long ruffled hair.

It didn't take Merlin long to understand the threat his friend was warning him about. He was soon out of sight running through the courtyard and towards Arthur's chambers. Gwaine was about to follow his friend when he was blocked by Ivor, his form hovered a few inches taller than the knight's.

Ivor leaned on one of the pillars with his arms crossed over his chest, a wicked smile on his face. "Where are you going in such a hurry?" He asked the obvious, playing the ignorance card. "How about we call it a truce and you join me for a game of poker?" Ivor offered he had to trick the knight into thinking he was no threat if he was to put his master's plan in motion. His orders were clear, get rid of the chivalrous knight.

"I am not interested." Gwaine growled as he pushed past Ivor and continued his original destination. Ivor stepped back in front of him. "Aw, come on! I thought you were a man who never said no to alcohol and a good game of poker." Ivor teased as he walked slightly backwards staying a few inches away from Gwaine. His attempts were ignored and soon he was left standing alone.

XXX

Merlin rushed through Arthur's chamber doors and skidded to a stop. The doors banged loudly behind him and the floor squeaked against his boots. His heart almost gave out as his eyes landed on the scene in front of him. Evelyn was sitting on the side of Arthur's bed leaning over him, her back to the door.

"Get away from him!" Merlin yelled as his eyes turned a golden hue and the small container in her hand started to glow red. Evelyn screamed out as she tossed it to the floor and rose to her feet clinging to her injured hand, the small container was shattered into various pieces. Merlin's heart gave way as he feared that he had been too late.

Evelyn threw herself onto Merlin out of desperation in an attempt to express her frustration at his interference. Her mind was filled with pure anger towards Merlin at having him once again ruin her plan that she cared not if Arthur woke up. They both fell to the floor and Evelyn quickly reached for the largest piece of the glass when she noticed it still contained some of the potion. She struggled to her feet and made her way back to Arthur.

Merlin yanked on her leg and managed to make her loose her balance. Evelyn twisted around in an attempt to regain her footing and tripped on Merlin landing on top of him. She lost her grip on the broken container and the potion spilled onto Merlin's face. A curse escaped her lips and she pushed herself up, unaware of where the potion had landed.

Evelyn made quick use of her advantage; grabbing a pitcher sitting on Arthur's table she swung it at Merlin as he started to get up, knocking him unconscious. She ran out of the room and down some corridors slamming into a guard doing his rounds. "I'm sorry I am still new in the castle and I got lost." Evelyn lied as she gasped for breath. The guard blushed and stepped aside. "It's quite alright my lady."

Evelyn thanked him and was on her way, successfully evading the fact that she had come from the direction of the King's chambers. She made her way to the tavern and entered her room. Something had to be done about Merlin now; she would not wait any longer. Evelyn looked around her room and after knocking the side table over in anger she left.

XXX

Gwaine pounded on Arthur's door and called out for Merlin, when no reply came he entered with sword drawn. He quickly sheathed it when he noticed Merlin lying on the ground near Arthur's bed. "Merlin," He called out to his friend as he rushed to his side and slipped an arm under him lifting him up slightly.

Merlin stirred and slowly opened his eyes. "Gwaine…" He rubbed at his head wondering what had happened, then the memories came back and he bolted up. He looked around for Evelyn and then back at Gwaine. "Evelyn…Arthur is he ok?" Merlin asked as he moved towards the still sleeping King. Arthur stirred slightly, but did not wake; Merlin could see no traces of the potion on his lips but could not stop his heart from feeling as if it has been ripped from his body.

"You were lying unconscious and you're worried about sleeping beauty here. He doesn't even have the decency to wake up when you are in trouble." Gwaine spitefully told Merlin as he grabbed onto him and led him back out the room. He had a half mind to throw the sleeping peaceful King to the floor like he had done to him a few days before, but he was too preoccupied in taking his friend to Gaius.

"What happened? You mentioned Evelyn." Gwaine asked once they were halfway down the corridor, he didn't like that Evelyn had in fact done something already. Did this mean that Roderick's plan was already in place? Had Evelyn been in allegiance with Roderick way before they had stumbled across him? There were too many questions on his mind and Gwaine didn't like any of them.

"She was in his room trying to slip him something." Merlin replied as he struggled to speak. They made it to Gaius' door and Gwaine pushed it open without bothering to knock. "Merlin might need a look over Gaius." He called out to the physician and then his jaw strained as he saw who Gaius' current patient was.

"You're lucky you didn't go untreated for another day or the infection would have become serious." Gaius addressed the half-naked Roderick. The prince sat on Gaius's bed, his shirt and armor lying on top of one of the tables. The physician was in the middle of bandaging Roderick's ribs when the uncomfortable expression on the man made him look behind him.

Gaius quickly raised his eyebrow and moved towards Merlin and Gwaine. "What happened to him now?" He asked with fatherly concern. "Lay him on his bed; I will get a wet cloth." Gaius told him without waiting for an explanation, the knight could do nothing but lead Merlin to his room. Roderick was forgotten for a short moment as Gaius attended to Merlin.

After Merlin was safely in his bed and resting, Gaius and Gwaine returned to the main room. Gwaine had told the physician that it would be best to leave explanations until a certain person was no longer in the room. Gaius finished bandaging up Roderick and pressed a remedy for the pain into his hands, pushing him out the door before he could thank him for his services.

Gaius and Gwaine exchanged looks as the door to Merlin's room opened. Merlin slowly stepped down and sat on a bench. "Gwaine told me that Evelyn tried to slip Arthur something and that you must have interfered and gotten hurt." Gaius asked as his curiosity could not be contained any longer. "Who is Evelyn?"

"She is the one who slipped Arthur the love potion and tried to give him another one again tonight." Merlin replied as he looked down at his hands. "I don't know if she succeeded..." Suddenly Merlin felt weird, his head was filled with unrecognized words and voices. He brought his hands to his head in an attempt to block the chaos inside.

He staggered to his feet; the voices were faint now but still persistent. "Merlin, what is it? What's wrong?" Gwaine asked as he held on to Merlin, steading him. "My head, I can't make any of it out…" Merlin said as he rubbed at his forehead with both his palms, his face filled with pain.

"What is he talking about Gaius? And what's this about Evelyn giving Arthur a love potion?" Gwaine asked as he sat Merlin back down, the physician just shrugged. "I think he is just tired from the trip, it would be best if we leave him to rest and eat." Gaius told Gwaine as he moved to push the concerned knight out the door. "There will be a better time for explanations. I will send word if I need anything." He added as he shut the door and made his way back to Merlin.

"Merlin what happened?" Gaius asked as he saw Merlin struggle with whatever was going on in his head. The voices were gone now but a heavy feeling still remained, Merlin slowly lowered his hands and raised his head to look at his friend.

"There were voices in my head, like when Mordred would call out to me. But they were different, I couldn't' make any of them out. They were unbearable Gaius." Merlin explained as he ran his hand across his face and rubbed his eyes.

"Magic..? Someone with magic is here in Camelot?" Gaius asked as he moved to place a bowl in front of Merlin. He poured some stew into it and handed Merlin a spoon. "Here, you can explain to me about this Evelyn woman while you eat."

Merlin just stared at his food, making swirls in it with his spoon. "She isn't the only problem Gaius, Alined's son, Roderick, is here as well. And he doesn't have the best interest of Camelot in mind." He informed his friend as he set down his spoon, unable to eat anything.

"Alined's son…?" Gaius asked well aware of what threat it could mean for the kingdom. He remembered the last time Alined had been to Camelot and the danger he had put Arthur in, his desire to start war had almost caused Arthur his life. "We must move fast Merlin if we are to save the King. I am afraid he isn't aware of what truly dangerous people he has let in."

XXX

Arthur stirred from his sleep, rays of sunlight hitting his eyes. He moved the sheets over his face, still with no desire to get up. Merlin mercilessly pulled the sheets off and set them on the edge of the bed before returning to the curtains. Arthur groaned as he moved to the other side of the bed, his back to the window, and rested his head back on the pillow.

"Arthur, you have to get up. You have a knight coronation today, your usual knight training, and don't forget you still have the final preparations for all those trade treaties you managed to acquire." Merlin called out to the stubborn King, prying the other curtain open and letting in more sunlight.

Arthur finally rose from the bed, setting one foot on the floor. He winched out in pain as it got cut by broken glass. "What the…Merlin!" Arthur yelled as he looked at his now bloodied foot. "What is this?" He asked pointing at the cause of his injury.

"Uh, I don't know. Maybe you knocked something over in your sleep?" Merlin replied with a half-smile. He had completely forgotten about the broken glass and had not had the chance to clean it up. Merlin wanted to smack himself for letting it slip from his mind.

"I did not….!" Arthur exclaimed as he held on to his injured foot as if that alone would make what happened go away. Today was already starting bad; he didn't want to know what the rest of the day would bring. "Then it must have been a rat." Merlin offered as he set down a clean set of clothes on the bed.

"A rat knocked over a glass, a chair, and a pitcher…" Arthur stated as he looked around the room and flared his arms at his cheeky manservant. "Must have been a very big rat," Merlin concluded as he fought the sly smile off his face at seeing Arthur's frustrated expression.

"Where are you going?" Arthur called out to Merlin as he noticed him move to leave. "I am going to go get Gaius." Merlin said as he felt partly guilt for forgetting about the broken glass, but relieved to see that Arthur was being himself, well the normal enchanted self. Evelyn must not have had the chance to slip him the potion, Merlin had made it in time after all.

"You tend to my wounds!" Arthur ordered as he moved a bit further back on the bed to rest his back on the headboard and raised his foot patiently waiting for Merlin's tender care. "After all you are Gaius' assistant, I am sure you know plenty by now." He mocked raising his eyebrows teasingly, reminding Merlin that he was still not over the issue with the bandaged arm. Merlin smiled at the stubbornness of his King and moved to get the washing bowl and a clean towel.

After wiping away the blood and removing the small pieces of glass that had stuck to his skin, Merlin picked up the pieces of broken glass. Setting the pitcher back on the table and straightening the chair, he left to retrieve an ointment and some bandages.

"A rat…" Arthur murmured to himself as he looked back at his foot and sighed, the tingling feeling in the places Merlin's hands had lingered made him remember their last night together. It had been over a day since Merlin had shared his bed and he feared his body was already feeling the loss of their closeness. Arthur stared at the door to his chambers as if that alone would make Merlin return sooner, his heart felt extremely heavy and he was reminded again how crazy in love he was with his manservant.

XXX

Merlin crossed the courtyard with the bandages and an ointment Gaius had given him. As he was about to climb the stairs, he spotted a familiar figure among the crowd. Evelyn turned his direction and their eyes locked for a short moment. Suddenly she was off, running through the lower towns with Merlin close behind.

He managed to catch up to her and corner her. Merlin fought his magic back down as Evelyn stomped on his foot and made a clear get away. He saw her enter a nearby shack and disappear inside. Merlin followed, determined to get the information he needed to cure Arthur.

"Why are you trying to enchant Arthur? He has never done anything to harm you." Merlin called out as he moved carefully through the various tables, wagon wheels, and other random items clamed inside the shack. A noise behind him filled the room and he turned to see a barrel rolling towards him. He rushed to where the barrel had been but Evelyn was gone, the closing door evidence that she had already left back outside.

Merlin made his way back towards the castle with the bandages and medicine for Arthur. As soon as he reached the courtyard, Merlin was grabbed and swung around. His eyes widen and the items he was caring fell. Roderick caught them before they touched the ground and handed them back to Merlin, they were now standing inches from each other.

"Don't worry I am not trying anything here. I can't help who I bump into, it's not my fault Arthur's castle isn't that big." Roderick teased sensing the uneasiness running through Merlin. "It really is a pity…" He whispered as he ran his hand across Merlin's cheeks. "See you around Merlin." Roderick called over his shoulder as he made his way toward the lower town.

Merlin opened the door to Arthur's chambers and made his way to his King who was still sitting the exact same way he had when he left. "What took you so long Merlin? You know the knights won't train themselves." Arthur teased as Merlin sat on the bed. Merlin just smiled, still shaken by running into Roderick. What exactly was that prince up to? Whatever it was Merlin had a feeling it wasn't good.

"There, like new." Merlin widely grinned at the bandages; he had to admit they were his best yet. Arthur slowly moved hit foot back down and slid closer to Merlin. He grabbed Merlin's face with both his hands and kissed him tenderly then with more vigor. Arthur could feel the heat rising from the pit of his stomach and move downwards, he pushed Merlin to the bed rubbing against him in the process.

Merlin could feel the hardness between Arthur's legs and it made his own body burn up. Last night had been torture for him. Arthur had occupied his dreams and made it impossible for him to get any decent sleep. Merlin winched as his back reminded him that he hadn't dressed his bruise yet and his lips moaned a protest as Arthur suddenly tensed and pulled back.

Arthur looked away from Merlin so that he wouldn't catch the hint of regret in his eyes and rose from the bed. "I mustn't keep my knights waiting." He said trying to sound as normal as possible. A look of hurt crossed Merlin's face, but he said nothing as he moved to dress Arthur. As Merlin moved to make Arthur's bed, Arthur made his way to the door.

"I won't be requiring your services in the training grounds today." Arthur stated, pausing in the doorway to stare at his manservant's back before shutting the door behind him. Merlin just stood near the bed with a pillow in his hand shocked and unsure of what Arthur was hinting at.

XXX

The day went by rather peacefully, Merlin finally got around to attending to his back and Arthur went through all his agenda. Roderick managed to pop up at random in an attempt to annoy Arthur and demand attention. After Roderick skillfully introduced himself to the council, Arthur found himself forced to eat lunch and dinner with the arrogant man.

Arthur had been looking forward to seeing Merlin after the Knight coronation. He had been filled with guilt at having hurt Merlin's back that he wanted to make sure the clumsy idiot had taken the time to get it treated by Gaius. However, so far he hasn't been able to bump into Merlin for more than a few minutes here and there.

"What has you pondering so hard my King?" Roderick asked with a hint of dislike. Arthur just poked at his food and then decided it was too much torture to be forced in a room with the man. He rose from the table, pushing his chair back and made his way out.

"Haven't you seen enough? So why don't you do us both a favor and drop the pleasantries and leave." Arthur said in distaste as he slammed the doors open and left. Roderick just chuckled to himself as he emptied his goblet and continued eating.

XXX

Merlin moved from the newly lit fireplace and made his way around the room lighting the candles in Arthur's chambers. He set the flint and firestone back near the fireplace and moved to exit the room when Arthur entered. "Arthur…" Merlin said in surprise as he stopped a few feet from him. Arthur closed the door and locked it with one graceful motion.

"Merlin, stay with me for the night." Arthur told him as he moved to the side of the bed and started to undress himself. Merlin didn't say anything as he helped him with his clothes and then removed his own. He suddenly remembered the bandages he had on and tried to pull his shirt back down. "I am glad you got Gaius to look at it. Come sleep with me." Arthur told Merlin as he lay on the bed and moved the sheets to make room for Merlin.

Merlin tossed his shirt on the floor and did as he was told, unsure what Arthur wanted to do. Then he relaxed as Arthur placed an arm around his waist and brought them closer, he could feel his breath in the back of his ear. Arthur kissed Merlin in the ear and whispered "Goodnight Merlin" before setting his head on a pillow. Merlin weaved his fingers with Arthur's and closed his eyes in an attempt to fall asleep, a less saddened expression on his face.

XXX

The night was not as long as Arthur had hoped it would be. Soon he was back to hearing the town people's concerns and meeting with the council on other small matters. Arthur paced in his throne room as the last of the towns folk went back to their homes and marketplace. He had made plans to spend time with Merlin today and he was filled with impatience at having to wait.

Evelyn rushed through the doors in a scared frenzy. "Sire, I saw something." She gasped for breath at having run all the way here. "In the woods, there was a….sorcerer, he wore a red rope and was chanting words I could not make out." Evelyn finished as she played her part well. Arthur stopped his pacing and rushed to her side.

"Are you sure?" Arthur asked, believing and unaware of the well-deserved reasons Gwaine and Merlin suspected of her. Evelyn nodded making sure she shook enough and the fake tears on her face were clearly seen by the King. Arthur motioned for Leon, who had also rushed in when Evelyn had entered uninvited to the throne room.

"Gather the knights; we must scout the nearby area." Arthur ordered as he turned his attention back to Evelyn. "Don't worry you are safe here, you did the right thing by bringing it to my attention." And with that he left in the direction Leon had gone. The doors shut behind him concealing the wicked smile that crossed Evelyn's face as she wiped away the fake tears.

XXX

Merlin was in the market shopping for some herbs and items for Gaius when a few guards ran past him. He looked on with concern, what was going on? "They spotted a sorcerer near the walls of the castle." A young boy rushing by shouted at him, his legs wobbling too much for his age. As the words sank in Merlin too rushed towards the castle, the basket of herbs forgotten.

He ran towards where he thought Arthur would be, but was pulled sharply into a hidden bend in a corridor. A cloth was pushed against his mouth and nose, within seconds Merlin found himself slipping into unconsciousness. "I win!" Roderick whispered into his ear as his sight went completely dark.

XXX

Gwaine slammed his now empty cup on the table, next to the four other empty ones, and raised his hand for another. "I knew I would find you here." Ivor stated as he sat across from him. "Now before you go all knightly on me, I am here to drink. The tavern is open to all, you most of all should know that." He told the half drunken Gwaine holding his hands up in the air as if he was surrendering.

"There are plenty of other tables you can sit on." Gwaine replied as he moved to leave. Ivor chuckled and rose. "Fine, I can get when I am not wanted." He quickly made his way to another table near the back. Gwaine returned to his seat and gulped the cup that was brought to him in one gulp. Wiping his lips with the back of his hand, Gwaine tossed a few coins on the table and left towards the castle.

Ivor followed a safe distance only picking up his pace when Gwaine started to stagger. The knight leaned on a nearby wall as his vision started to blur. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it and moved further down the corridor. Ivor watched with pure amusement as Gwaine managed to take a few more steps before knocking over a side table and falling to the floor in the process.

"You really are very stubborn; I commemorate you for it." Ivor whispered in his ear as he removed Gwaine's hidden daggers. "I have never given anyone a sleeping draft before so I made sure to slip a few extra drops enough to knock out a small army just for you." He continued as he slipped the daggers into his belt and started to walk off. Gwaine tried to get back on his feet, but ended up slipping back to the floor.

"Now we are even and just so you won't think it was underhanded of me I will give you a heads up. You will find your friend in my master's chambers, just in case you turn out to be even more stubborn." Ivor called out as he turned the corner. Gwaine cursed under his breath as the world turned black and his head hit the paved floor.


	17. Revelations of the Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Spoiler on a deleted scene from Season 4 (I just had to use the scene they took out from ep2 I believe; it was just so heart wrenching that I had to give my own twist to it.)

Merlin tried to make out some of the voices dancing just right out of his reach, his head felt like it had been beaten up by one of Arthur's maces and his body felt like mush. He slowly wiggled his toes and fingers, moving up to bigger limbs. Once he had enough energy, Merlin tried to open his eyes. He had to blink a few times before the swirls of color turned to solid objects.

"Aw, your awake my little bird." Roderick said with a hint of amusement as he moved towards the bed and with a gloved hand pried the handkerchief from around Merlin's neck, tying his capture's hands to one of the bed posts. Merlin tried to fight him off, but the truth of his weak body ran painfully in his stomach when Roderick kneed him. He let himself fall back towards the bed and onto his side as he gasped for breath.

"Now, you should know better than that. " Roderick scolded Merlin as he walked towards the farthest wall and opened the dresser. "Just sit there and wait for the show to start. You are going to love how it ends." And with that the arrogant prince removed the dagger from underneath a set of garments and made his way back to Merlin, never taking his eyes from him.

Merlin didn't want to think of what Roderick planned to do with the dagger and as the bed dipped with his weight Merlin's heart skipped a beat. "Relax, this isn't meant for you. It was prepared for someone very special." Roderick whispered into Merlin's ear as he trailed a line across the faded blue shirt before tucking it safely behind his back under his coat. He pulled his gloves off and tossed them on the bed.

"Why are you doing this Roderick? Why do you hate Camelot so much?" Merlin managed to say as Roderick's lips graced his own. "You mean to say why I hate Arthur so much, don't you?" the young prince replied back as he tugged at Merlin's clothes. Finally giving in, Roderick kissed him deeply, biting his lower lip, drawing blood. Merlin winched and twisted underneath, he quickly shut his eyes as they began to glow gold.

A vase shook violently and then fell to the ground breaking into a million pieces. Then the shields on the wall near the bed started to shake. Roderick pulled away turning his attention to the racket behind him, thinking Arthur had already come and was trying to barge through the locked door. There was a click as a key was inserted and the door opened to reveal a very smug Ivor. "Am I interrupting?" he asked as he closed the door and locked it, sticking the key into his pocket.

XXX

Arthur entered his room and quickly made his way to his sword still lying across his desk; Merlin had forgotten to give it to him when he had left to meet with his people. He sheathed it and made his way back to the courtyard, where his knights and horse were waiting. As he was about to turn the final corridor, a noise brought him to a halt. Arthur turned and moved towards the direction the sound had come, only to rush to Gwaine's side when the drugged Knight stumbled around the corner.

Gwaine fell back to the ground with a curse on his lips. Arthur was about to ask what had happened when the knight spoke up. "Forget about me, go to Merlin. He is in danger." Time seemed to stop as Arthur's heart jumped out of his chest. "He is in Roderick's chambers." Gwaine managed to say as he once again lost consciousness.

Arthur lost no time in making his way to Roderick's chambers. He barged through them caring not that they were locked, the hinges half hanging and half clinging to the walls. Ivor quickly stepped in front of Arthur, but was no match for the fury that now over took the King's sense. He effortlessly knocked Ivor out with two precise moves and marched towards the bed. The young King's eyes reflect a murderous intent and his lips were spread thin.

"Roderick" Arthur yelled as he pulled the prince off of Merlin and tossed him towards the wall with great force. Merlin remained still on the bed; his clothes were in shambles and a very clear trail of tears lingered on his high cheek bones. Arthur's eyes trail over his manservant's body trying to find any evidence to prove if he had been too late, setting back to the blood on his lips.

"I'm fine Arthur, he wasn't able to…" Merlin trailed off as his eyes rested on the prince smiling behind Arthur, mocking them. "Don't lie. Merlin, tell him how much you enjoyed it. After all you came three times as I thrust deep inside you." Roderick laughed as he licked his lips. "Now I know why you can't stop fucking him Arthur. You should have told me how addictive he can be."

Arthur lost control and rushed towards Roderick. His sword cut flesh as he ran Roderick through, pinning the prince against the wall. "I warned you I wouldn't be so welcoming the next time you laid your hands on Merlin." Arthur stated with pure rage as he pulled his sword out.

"What makes you think that isn't what I wanted?" Roderick said between gasps as he clung to Arthur. He grabbed the dagger hidden behind his back and with one final wicked grin rammed it into Arthur's side. "Like I said, I win!" Roderick whispered as he slid down and his hazed eyes fell upon the bleeding King.

Arthur staggered back, his sword falling to the ground as he stared at the dagger half jammed into his side. He wrapped a hand around it and pulled it out, his face contorted with pain as more blood soaked through his clothes. Arthur looked up into Merlin's panicked eyes as he stumbled to the ground, the dagger clattering to the floor next to him.

"Arthur…" Merlin screamed in anguish as his eyes turned the color of gold, the bindings tearing in half. He rushed to his King's side and leaned over him. "You big idiot, he didn't get to do anything to me." Merlin reassured him as tears rushed down his face; Arthur had his eyes fully closed now. "You saved me, you saved me!" He gasped between sops as he rested his head on Arthur's slowly rising chest. Merlin looked up at Arthur, slightly moving back, and he positioned his hand on the wound. He closed his eyes trying to concentrate as his fingers got damp with Arthur's blood and then slowly opened them, his face dead serious.

" _Gestathole! Thurhhaele!"_  Merlin called out, but nothing seemed to happen as his eyes turned back to normal. He tried again,  _"Gestathole! Thurhhaele!"_  Nothing still, panic filled him again as he moved even closer to Arthur and pressed his hand further up completely covering the wound _. "Purhhaele dolgbenn!_ "

Footsteps filled the corridor and then the room in a rapid rate as a few guards ran into the room. Merlin turned away to give his eyes time to faded back to blue. He tried to control his breathing as the realization that his magic wasn't working and that he had run out of time to use it hit him hard. "What happened here?" Leon asked as he made his way through the crowded room with Percival and then his eyes set on his fallen King.

"Help me with him. We must take him to Gaius." The knight ordered his comrade as he rushed to Arthur and started to move him. He and Percival carried him out towards Gaius' room, not bothering to ask any more questions. Two of the guards carried Roderick's bloodied body and followed. Merlin was close behind them unable to hide the tears that ran down his face at a rapid pace, the sheer need to be near his King kept Merlin upright and moving.

No time was lost as Gaius' door was kicked opened and soon the contents on the main table were scattered on the floor as Arthur was sprung across it, with the physician looking over his wound. Roderick was set on Gaius' bed and practically considered dead. Leon signaled for everyone to leave the room and for some to retrieve the unconscious Ivor for questioning.

"Can you cure him Gaius?" Leon asked as he closed the door behind him and stared at Arthur, Gaius, and then Merlin. The knight's face filled with frustration as he rushed to Merlin and grabbed him from the front of his shirt. "What happened? How did our King get this way?" Merlin tried to give a reply, but his throat was too swollen from all the crying and sobbing he had done on his way here.

"I'm sure Merlin did everything he could." Gaius said to both of them as he stared at Merlin and then turned his attention back to Arthur. Leon loosened his grip and then finally let go, moving back to his King's side. "He's been poisoned." Gaius told them as he tore at Arthur's garments to get a better look at the wound. "Roderick must have laced whatever he used to stab him with it." He looked around the table to see if the weapon had been brought in. Merlin's eyes widened as he realized the importance of finding the dagger.

"He was stabbed with a dagger; it had green stones on its hilt. It must still be back in the room." Merlin cried in desperation as he tried to make his way around Leon and out the door. He was stopped by a hand to his chest and he looked at the knight with uncertainty. "I will go, you stay and help Gaius." And with that Gaius and Merlin were left alone with Arthur.

Once the footsteps couldn't be heard, Merlin turned to Gaius. "My magic, it won't work Gaius." He confessed to the physician, his voice shaking as he moved from the foot of his room back to Arthur and back towards his room. "I can't cure him, what are we to do?" The room became even more silent as Gaius looked on at the young warlock.

"I am sure we can find a solution Merlin. Here help me clean the wound." Gaius said as he moved to get another bowl of clean water. Merlin looked down at Arthur, his hand slowly caressed his face as fresh tears started to fall on his cheeks. He didn't want to think of a world without his King, he wouldn't.

Just then a very faint moan filled the room. Both of them froze, Gaius holding a fresh bandage pressed tightly against the wound and Merlin in mid-sentence of another spell. They turned towards Roderick and Gaius rushed to his side, kneeling down he pressed his fingers on the prince's neck. "He's still alive, but barely!" Gaius exclaimed as he shot up and rushed to dress his wound. He quickly made use of his many years of skills. Soon Roderick was bandaged up and his breathing was slightly above a faint, his chest now slowly rising at a noticeable level.

Merlin had turned his attention back to Arthur as he tried every healing spell he could remember. Nothing seemed to work and it puzzled him to no end. Did the poison have some type of effect against his magic? Was he pronouncing them wrong or was his inability to concentrate as much as he should the reason why it wasn't working? Merlin wasn't about to give up, he braced himself for another try when Leon barged in holding the dagger in front of him.

"I got it!" Leon called out as he moved into the room. Merlin moved rapidly towards his room, his eyes still glowing golden. He covered his face with his sleeve and managed to compose himself. Gaius rushed towards Leon, picked up the dagger and brought it to his nose. The smell of the poison far outweighed the smell of Arthur's blood on it. "Do you have an antidote?" Merlin asked nervously as he moved back to Arthur's side.

"I believe so; it is a very common poison that just about anyone can make if they have the right ingredients." The old physician stated as he rummaged through his cupboards. Taking a small black bottle with a much fainted label on it, he brought his glasses back up to his eyes and squinted at it. "Yes, this is it."

He uncorked the small bottle and moved to Arthur's side. "Hold his head up, will you." Gaius ordered at Merlin as he brought the rim of the bottle against the very pale King's lips. They all held their breaths waiting until a few moments later a cough rose from Arthur's throat and rang through the air. Merlin set his head back down gently and smiled nervously as Arthur's breathing turned took a safe rhythm.

"Help me stitch this wound and then he can be moved to his chambers. It will be a day or two before he awakens and then he will need plenty of rest before he is back on his feet and his normal self." Gaius told Merlin and Leon, the crisis had been adverted but another one still lingered close behind. All three looked towards Roderick, they all knew what this turn of events meant for Camelot and the near future.

XXX

Arthur woke to the familiar surroundings of his chambers. He foolishly sat up drowsily looking around the room, flinching and clinging to his side as the pain shot from his wound to his whole body. The recent events started to clear up in his mind and he clenched his teeth. Was Roderick dead? Had he managed to reach Merlin in time? All these questions ran through his mind as he pushed himself back on the bed to rest his back on the headboard.

Soon the images on his mind were replaced with reminders of Merlin and what he had looked like tied to the bed, his clothes and hair in an upheaval and his lips red and swollen, a small blood trail running form his lower lip to his chin. Merlin's words echoed in his mind, he closed his eyes as relief filled his body at the realization that he had saved his beloved. "Merlin…" his lips echoed as he raised his hand to his chest, it felt extremely tight.

Arthur was brought back to reality as a set of footsteps stopped outside his chambers; he fixed the sheets around him and rested his head on the headboard. He forced a knot in his throat down as he fought with the desire and wish that it would be Merlin who walked through the doors.

XXX

Merlin stood hesitant in front of Arthur's door, he hadn't recovered from the near loss of losing the King he had fallen deeply in love with. The thought of never seeing him again had torn into Merlin's conscious viciously. Though Arthur had survived and was very much alive behind the doors before him, the pain of separation was still there but in another form.

He still had to cure Arthur and say goodbye to the closeness they had developed between them, to the nights they shared, the kisses that still lingered in his lips even days later. Merlin fought all those thoughts to the back of his mind and entered, setting the tray of medicines Gaius had prepared for the King on the table. "Merlin," Arthur called out from his bed with great relief and happiness.

"Come here, I have something I want to give you." Arthur continued as he twisted slightly to the side, his movements causing pain to run down his side again, and reached into the bottom drawer next to his bed. Taking a small pouch out, he turned back to his manservant, who was already sitting across from him. "Arthur you shouldn't be moving, the wound is still too fresh, it can reopen." Merlin said as his eyes fell on the fresh marks of blood staining the white bandages.

Arthur just beamed like a child with a new toy and handed the bundle to him. Merlin looked at it and then at Arthur with a questioning look. "What's this?" he asked as he flipped the pouch over empting its contents, a gasp escaped his lips as his fingers rubbed against the seal. "This is…" Merlin trailed off as he looked once more between Arthur and the object in his hands.

"It belonged to my mother, it bears her sigil. I want you to have it." Arthur said in a very serious tone, the childish look on his face completely gone. "I love you Merlin and I want you to be by my side forever." He moved to kiss Merlin and prove the significance of his confession. "I've missed you so much." Arthur whispered as he brushed his lips against Merlin's. The need to drown in the taste of Merlin's mouth and his touch had become like a necessary food for Arthur, one he saw no reason to be without.

Merlin's body tensed and his heart ached. His hands tightened on the seal and then they loosened dropping it onto the sheets. "Arthur I can't…" Merlin whispered as he bolted from the bed and out the room, he kept running all the way to his own room and only when his door was closed and locked did he let the tears fall. He muffled his cries with his sleeve and leaned back on his bed to sit back up as soon as his back met with something solid.

He jumped to his feet and stared at the small box in the middle of his bed, the red oak a clear contrast against his white sheets. Merlin inched forward and sat on the edge of his bed; he reached for the box and slowly opened it, the intricate carvings on it glowing gold.


	18. Finding the Cure

Merlin's eyes flashed gold as the glow spread through the entire box, the inside streamed a pure white light, blinding and mesmerizing at the same time. Merlin shook his head a bit dazed once the box turned back to normal. He stared at it, resting in his hands now completely opened, and the piece of parchment resting neatly in the middle of it; his fingers softly grazed it breaking the enchantment.

Taking it out, Merlin unfolded it, laying the box back on the bed forgotten. The parchment looked very old and his eyes quickly glanced over it to linger on the single word written on it, "Emrys". Merlin slowly lowered the parchment; it almost fell from his grasp as his mind filled with many new questions. Who could have sent it? Who else other than Gaius knew the name the druids called him? A look of worry crossed his face as he set the letter back in the box and closed it.

Just then a gentle knock on the door made Merlin look up. Gaius stuck his finger through the hole and gently unlocked it, pushing it open as he greeted the young warlock. "Merlin, I thought I find you here." The physician said as he looked at Merlin and then at the box in his hands. The question in his mind never reached his lips as Merlin offered the box to him.

"I found it on my bed." Merlin replied tilting his eyes slightly upwards to stare at the open window in his room, his ears slightly ringing. Gaius opened it with care and took the piece of parchment out, setting the box on Merlin's table.

Gaius' eyebrow rose as he stared at it, turning the parchment over and inspecting the back of it before turning his attention to the box. "Merlin, this isn't good."

"Where are you going?" Gaius asked after Merlin failed to reply and rose from his bed. "To find Evelyn," Merlin said as he stepped down the steps and made his way over to the main door. "Be careful, if she does have magic we don't know how powerful she is." The physician warned as he looked back to the box still in his hands, the intricate carvings making his eyebrow stand up even higher than before.

XXX

Arthur turned the seal over in his hands; his face contorted with pain and confusion. When Merlin had rushed out, he had tried to follow and jumped out of bed only to fall to the floor as the wound on his side reopened. He looked at his now fully bloodstained bandages and cursed, the idea of having his guards bring Merlin to him had crossed his mind. But he doubted that would solve anything, he would give Merlin time to think.

Leaning his head back on the headboard, the young King let his mind get filled with more pleasant thoughts of his beloved. The seal clasped gently in his left hand, he pressed the bandages with his right in an attempt to make the throbbing go away. A swift knock came and then his door opened, a guard stepped in, "Gaius is here." And with that Arthur was left alone with the physician.

"Sire, I came to see…" Gaius started to say and then he spotted the tray of medicines still untouched sitting on the table. He walked over to them and brought the tray to the King's bed. "I came to see how you were doing and to make sure you had taken the medicines I prepared for you." The physician finished as he uncorked the first vial and handed it to Arthur.

Arthur groaned as he forced the vile liquid down his throat and handed the now empty vial to Gaius. "Seriously do they all have to taste this disgusting Gaius?" He asked as he was handed another one, but this time the liquid was thick and black. He drank every bottle that was handed to him, some he had to empty all the contents others he was lucky to only drink a small portion.

"It is necessary sire; they will help to bring your health back." Gaius said as he set the tray back on the table and turned to eye the bloodstained bandages. "Your wound will need to be stitched back up." And with that he picked up his medicine bag and moved back to the bed.

"Gaius, how long have I been asleep?" Arthur asked as he tried to sit further up on the bed and allow his physician better access to his wound. "It's been two days, Sire." Gaius replied as he slipped the needle through the King's skin one last time before tying the thread and cleaning the wound with a clear ointment. "That should numb the pain for a few hours."

"Two days?" Arthur yelled in surprise as he surveyed Gaius' work and then turned his gaze to the seal half hidden between the pillows and the sheets. "What of Roderick?" Arthur asked his voice a slow dry tone as his eyes filled with hatred for the man he hoped was gone from this plane of existence. Gaius shifted on the bed and then moved back to the table unsure if it was best to leave the King out of the loop for a bit longer.

"Gaius?" Arthur called out, his impatience to know the fate of the man he hated the most reaching a new high. "He is alive, but barely sire." Gaius finally said as he turned his gaze back to his king. The look he gave was of the worried kind not just for Arthur, but for the future of Camelot.

"Don't look at me like that Gaius, he attacked Merlin. What was I to do? Lock him up in the cells…" Arthur trailed off; his anger was all he could think of as he stared at his physician, unable to finish explaining the damage Roderick could have caused. "Merlin…?" Gaius exclaimed as his eyebrow shot up for the numerous times in the last hour.

"You can go Gaius." Arthur ordered as he waved Gaius off and tried to calm himself down. Before Gaius could walk out the door Arthur called to him. "And Gaius, thank you!" He said to Camelot's loyal physician; though he still hated the fact that Roderick was alive most likely due to Gaius' skills he too owed his life to them.

"It was nothing my lord." Gaius said as he bowed to his king and left wondering if Camelot would ever see the day where normalcy and quite were an everyday thing.

XXX

Merlin walked through the market and the lower towns. He finally found himself under the Rising Sun sign and sighed as he pushed the door to the tavern open. If Arthur found him here he really would think he spent all his time at the tavern. Fighting back a small smile at the thought of his King, Merlin made his way to the innkeeper.

Evoric greeted him before he reached the bar, remembering him as Gaius' assistant. "How can I help you?" Merlin took a deep breath and tried to keep a blank face. "I am looking for Evelyn, Arthur…the King sent me to fetch her. Her services are required at the castle." The innkeeper just starred at Merlin, his face serious and then a sly grin reached his face.

"Aw, didn't catch her as the King's type. Her room is the one on the far left, second floor." Evoric said as he tilted his head to the stairs.

"Oh, it's not like that. That isn't what I meant." Merlin shyly said, his face turning slight red as he finally caught on, Evoric had completely misunderstood what he had been referring to as services. He tried to clear things up when Evoric just held his hands up and chuckled. "It is not my place to question the King; you better hurry though. She failed to pay me for another night."

Merlin made his way to Evelyn's room and tried to push the door open, it was locked. Checking behind him to make sure no one was there he turned back to the door and extended his hand, open palm facing it. " _Aliese_ " He whispered and his eyes quickly went from blue to gold and then back to blue as he heard a clicking sound. Looking back behind him to make sure no one was still there, Merlin stepped through the door.

It was quite a small room and it didn't take Merlin long to spot Evelyn near one of the corners shoving her belongings into a worn out sack. She was too engrossed in what she was doing that she didn't notice Merlin until he was in the room and had closed the door behind him. Her eyes shot up and met Merlin's and then her face was contorted with pure hatred and fury. "What are you doing here?" Evelyn spat as she tugged at the sack and tied the straps before walking towards the table.

"Undo the spell you put on Arthur." Merlin replied as he stood his ground near the door. "Wish I could, but I wasn't the one who made the potion." Evelyn stated innocently as an evil grin crossed her face. She masked the grin with a much appealing one and turned to face Merlin as her fingers tightly grasped the hilt of a small knife lying on the table.

"You see I got the potion from an old hag somewhere deep in the woods. She required a lock of the King's hair to make the spell work." Evelyn said as she reached for the candle holder with her free hand and threw it at Merlin, who managed to dodge it. She then swung the knife around and towards him with a hideous scream reaching her lips.

Merlin didn't have time to think, he quickly raised his hand outward and his eyes flashed gold. Evelyn flew across the room and slammed into the wall before sliding down to the floor. "You have magic!" Evelyn's voice shook as she tried to get back up, her face now a mask of pure disbelief.

The young warlock's face was filled with realization of the error he had made; he had just revealed his secret to her. Merlin quietly moved across the room and halted a few feet from her. Evelyn managed to rise to her feet and her face was once again filled with an evil intent at the fantastic realization. "Does  _he_  know you have magic?" Evelyn spat with greater distaste.

"I will tell you what I do know just because I want to live to see you hanged by your own beloved King." She continued, her voice gaining more determination. "The potion was purple, once the hair was added it turned red and the smell it gave off for a short time reminded me of pine and lily. The rest you know now let me pass."

But before she could take a single step, the room filled with a violent gush of wind. Merlin raised his arms to shield himself from it, but stumbled on the edge of the bed and fell to the floor. The room turned back to normal as soon as Merlin managed to rise to his feet. He looked around the room completely dumbfounded, Evelyn was gone.

XXX

Gaius moved the magnifying glass over the carvings on the red oak box before setting it down to scribbled a few more words on a parchment. He glanced over at Roderick's unconscious form still taking up his bed and signed. He removed his glasses and set them on the table when the door opened to reveal a very troubled Merlin.

"Do I even want to ask?" Gaius said as his eyes followed Merlin's pacing between the door and his table. After a few more paces, Merlin moved to sit on one of the benches. "Evelyn didn't make the potion, it was given to her. Before she vanished, Evelyn told me what little she knew about it." Merlin quickly told Gaius as he ran his fingers across his lips wondering what to do next. He looked up at Gaius before moving towards his room and his spell book. "It's a potion that requires a lock of hair and she said that it gave off a smell of lily and pine when it changed colors."

"Are you sure she doesn't have magic?" Gaius asked as he moved from his table to stand in the doorway of Merlin's room.

"The room filled with a gush of wind before she disappeared, but she was as surprised as I was of it." Merlin clarified as he got to his feet and moved back into Gaius' chamber and set the book down on one of the tables.

"It's as I feared." Gaius told Merlin as he stared at the place the parchment, containing the few translations he had managed to decipher, lay.

"What do you mean?" Merlin said as he made the pages in the book turn with a single golden stare. "I believe that Roderick wasn't the only one she was working with, whoever sent you that note is well versed in the arts of magic and the ways of the Old Religion." Gaius exclaimed as he frowned at Roderick. "This is it." Merlin said turning his attention back to the book and the page it lay open on.

"The carvings on that box you found in your room, I have been doing some research on it and it appears to be some kind of incantation." Gaius explained as he too looked over the spell. "What kind of incantation?" Merlin asked the fact that the box had glowed when he had first opened it was practically inexistent in his mind.

"I'm not sure, I haven't finished the translations and what I have so far doesn't make any sense." Gaius said as he ran his finger down the page of the book and tapped on a section. "I should be able to make the potion, but it will require magic to activate it." He said as he moved about the room collecting what he needed.

Merlin stared at his friend as he rummaged through his cupboards and poured the ingredients into a bowl, Evelyn's words ringing in his head. "Evelyn mentioned an old woman in the woods gave her the potion." Merlin told Gaius as he moved to stand next to him.

"She could very well be the one who left you the box." Gaius said as he grounded the mixture carefully before handing it to Merlin.

"Sythan arrest wearth feasceaft funden. Denum aefter..." Merlin chanted and then stopped; taking a deep breath he tried again. "Sythan arrest wearth feasceaft funden. Denum aefter dome. Dreamleas gebad he gewinnes longsum." This time his eyes turned a golden color and the blue concoction started to boil before turning a clear color.

Gaius carefully poured the liquid into a small bottle, corked it, and handed it to Merlin. Turning the vial in between his slim fingers, Merlin tried to listen as Gaius explained the importance of making sure Arthur drank every last drop. "I'm sure Camelot wouldn't be too fond of having a toad as a prince." Merlin half teased as he moved to the door, trying his best to hide the sadness in his voice. Pushing the importance of telling Gaius that Evelyn now knew about his magic aside, he let the one thought that mattered above all the others overwhelm his mind. He had to cure Arthur.

"Now remember he has to drink it all." Gaius reminded the young warlock once more and he pushed him out the door. Merlin nodded in understanding and left, his heart getting heavier and more painful as he descended the steps. He had to lean against a wall before taking a deep breath and walking the rest of the way to Arthur's chambers. There was no denying that every fiber of his being wanted to smash the bottle into a million pieces, but he had been selfish long enough.

XXX

The door to Arthur's chambers opened and the King hid the seal under his pillow as he turned his attention to the visitor. Once his eyes fell on the guard and Sir Leon his heart grew heavier. "Sire, we have just received a letter from Gawant." Leon said as he moved closer to Arthur's bed. He handed the scroll and stepped a few paces back, awaiting his next order.

Arthur took the parchment and unwound it. He looked up at Leon and the guard before turning his attention back to the letter. Had Lord Godwyn found out about Roderick and declared war? Reassuring himself that only two days had passed, his eyes quickly read through it. Lord Godwyn had sent an invitation to his daughter Elena's engagement celebration. The ceremony would be held one month from today. As he looked at the name of the man Elena was to wed Arthur felt his blood boil. His eyes could see nothing but red as his hands turned to fists and he cringed the letter in his hands.

He had let himself be tricked it had all been a bluff. Elena was never to wed Roderick, the name on the letter clear evidence of that. Roderick had falsified Lord Godwyn's seal; the realization of it made Arthur clenched his teeth.

Leon exchanged a worried look with the guard at Arthur's expression. "My Lord..?" The knight spoke as he stared completely clueless at his King. Arthur rose from his bed and made his way to the door. He managed to pry the door open and came face to face with Merlin. His eyes instantly turned a softer color as he noticed Merlin's watery eyes.

Arthur stepped aside to allow Merlin inside and ordered Leon and the guard to leave. "I won't need guards outside my door." He informed Sir Leon as his eyes fell once again on Merlin's saddened expression and felt his heart skip a beat, Roderick completely forgotten. "But sire, for your protection…." Leon started to say before the stare Arthur gave him put an end to his objection and he quietly left the room, shutting the door behind him and the guard.

Just as Merlin was about to hand over the cure to Arthur, his lips were covered with Arthur's, the sweet taste of his tongue as it invaded his mouth was overwhelming. The heat running down his waist and to his legs was intoxicating and Merlin moaned in pure need. His fingers tightened around the vial as he allowed himself one final kiss, one final passionate moment with the person he had come to realize he was madly and hopelessly in love.

Arthur pulled away and his hands were soon pulling Merlin over to the bed. Merlin stopped a few inches from the bed and loosened his arm free. "Gaius asked that you drink this." He told Arthur, pushing the small bottle against Arthur's broad chest. Arthur looked at Merlin's downward gaze and a sad smile crossed his lips as he then stared at the bottle.

He slowly wrapped his fingers around the bottle and Merlin's fingers; giving a gentle tug he closed the small gap between them. "Anything for you," Arthur confessed as he nibbled on Merlin's ear and then traced down the slender neck with his lips. Pulling away, he uncorked the bottle and drank the clear liquid, only to hand it back to Merlin once the cork was back on. "Now shall we continue?" Arthur teased as he licked his lips, the reality that Merlin had rejected his gift far from his mind.

Merlin looked miserably at the now empty vial and his hands started to shake. The pain he felt running through his heart and tightening his lungs was unbearable. He felt Arthur's hands on the side of his face and it was too much, he dropped the vial. It fell to only bounce off his boot and roll under the bed, a tiny drop of liquid clinging greedily to the bottom of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of cheated and used the spell Gaius used to cure Merlin in "The Poisoned Chalice" episode. I tried to look up words of my own, but you know me and research. A few things were changed in the story at the last minute, Evelyn disappearing and Merlin actually giving Arthur the potion sooner. This chapter just wasn't cooperating with me. Evelyn and Merlin will get their showdown trust me. Extremely excited to see what questions are forming in your mind. Will Roderick make it or die and cause King Alined to wage war on Camelot? What happened to Evelyn and is that the last we will see of her (though I kind of already hinted to the answer in the comments above)? Is Arthur cured? But above all, was there a double meaning to this chapter's title?


	19. Mixed Emotions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer, don't own Merlin or anything like that. Just a heads up, this chapter starts slow and then picks up the pace rather quickly. The title of this chapter pertains to Merlin's feelings so not much of Arthur's POV is shown here.

Tears slowly ran down Merlin's face as Arthur removed his hands. As Merlin lowered his damped eyelashes he felt a slight graze on his bottom lip, his heart seemed to stand still waiting for conformation that his mind hadn't made it up. Yet Merlin didn't have the strength to open his eyes, scared to face the reality that he had lost Arthur and shattering any lingering hope for their love completely.

"Do I make you sad?" Arthur whispered into Merlin's ear as he wrapped his arms around the slim waist he had daydreamed all day of touching again. "Is it so painful to see yourself with me for the rest of your life? Am I wrong to want you so?" The young King continued to spill his deepest feelings as a crying Merlin threatened to undo him.

Merlin could not say anything as he finally opened his eyes; the warmth Arthur's body gave was too much. He had taken the potion, why was he still saying painfully sweet words of love into his ear? His mind tried to reach an explanation as his knees gave way and he clung to Arthur's bare chest clumsily. "Merlin…" Arthur called out as he moved to support Merlin and with one hand raised Merlin's trembling chin to look into the breathtaking sapphire pools of his eyes.

"I love you. Why do you insist on denying us this happiness?" Arthur asked as he finally gave in to his desires and kissed Merlin once more. He pushed Merlin against his body as he ravished the inside of his mouth, making sure to taste every corner, every crevice of it. Pushing the shaken form of his manservant against the bed, Arthur pinned him underneath his heated body. The hardness between his legs threatened to hurt as much as his heart did and he moaned into Merlin's mouth.

With Arthur's fully erected shaft pressed hard against his thighs, Merlin lost the battle in his mind. If the potion still hadn't taken effect, why couldn't he give himself one last moment of happiness? He had done so much for Camelot, for Arthur, for his destiny and never asked for anything in return. Could he not have this one thing he wanted this final goodbye? Merlin moved his hands downward to Arthur's trousers and slipped his hand inside to wrap his fingers around the source of the heat there. With one swift movement he had Arthur breaking their kiss to curse and moan in frustration.

Merlin bit Arthur's ear as his eyes darkened with need and moved them off the bed. He quickly undressed himself, this time his fingers did not shake or linger on his clothes. Then Merlin moved to undressed Arthur, removing the black trousers greedily before running his fingers gently across the clean bandages and then looking up at his King. "Lay on the bed for me." Merlin told Arthur, his voice filled with yearning as he crawled on the bed after him.

Cradling Arthur's legs, Merlin caressed everywhere his fingers could reach and his eyes could see. He leaned forward to plant a short, but sweet, kiss on Arthur's lips before moving to the edge of the bed. Merlin lowered his head and brought Arthur's hot cock into his mouth, slowly moving it deeper into his mouth and then back out again, picking up the pace only when Arthur's cries of pleasure caused his blood to quicken even more. He could feel Arthur's fingers tighten on his hair, slightly tugging them. Merlin licked the side of Arthur's manhood hungrily, from the tip to the base and then back the other way before slipping it back into his wet mouth.

Arthur felt himself fall deeper into the abyss of their passion as he came in Merlin's mouth, his seed hot and thick. He licked his lips and cursed again as his eyes fell on the sight of Merlin, the corner of his lips had a trail of his cum and his lips were redder than ever before. Arthur tugged at Merlin's arm, trying to speed things along, his need to be inside Merlin unbearable. Merlin only wiped the lingering cum on the side of his mouth with his hand and grinned sheepishly before stopping a few inches from Arthur's lips. "I believe I owe you a ride my Lord." His sexy voice teased as he positioned his hips and gently guided Arthur inside him.

Before Merlin had the chance to move all the way down, he felt Arthur's hands on either side of his hips. Arthur slightly bit his own bottom lip as he pushed Merlin down hard bringing himself all the way inside. "Fuck… you're tighter then I remember." The lustful King gasped as he arched his back and moved Merlin's hips downwards again bringing them one thrust closer to release. Merlin removed Arthur's grip and slowed his pace, this just caused Arthur to bit his bottom lip again as he tried to control his rapidly beating heart. It had been four days since he had last made love to Merlin and the cheeky brat was teasing him to no end.

Merlin tried to keep his hips moving at a steady pace, but as Arthur's tip grazed his sensitive spot yet again he lost all desire to take it slow. He rocked his hips faster and faster and his nails dug into Arthur's chest and arms at the pleasure it brought. Arthur reestablished his grip on Merlin's hips as he pushed Merlin's hips even faster and further down against his shaft. Merlin was struggling to keep his climax back as he lowered his head; it hovered just above Arthur's chest, his lips almost touching the wet tight flesh there. Arthur could feel the hot breath against his chest and he moved Merlin's face upwards to stare at those intoxicating eyes for as long as he could. It didn't take long for them to reach their climax and Merlin collapsed on top of him, their chests pounding against each other.

Arthur traced the curve of Merlin's chin as he kissed him feverously before making him lie on his side, his back to him. He ran his hand between Merlin's legs and lingered on the stickiness between his buttocks. Prying them apart with his fingers he slipped inside him again fully hard and wanting. Merlin's moan of acceptance lingering in his ears as he moved his hips slowly at first trying to reach a pace that didn't put too much strain on his wound. Lying on his good side, he was able to go deeper inside Merlin and easily press against his pleasure points.

Merlin bit gently down on his hand as his gasps became louder, the continuous need to feel Arthur thrust deep into him soon had him clamping hard on the thickness inside him. Arthur breathed hard into Merlin's neck as he fought to keep himself from coming. Merlin was doing all sorts of things to him and his body was refusing to remain idle. He pushed deeper, thrust after thrust as his hands explored every inch of Merlin's soft skin. As Arthur thrust yet again his hand moved under Merlin's pillow and accidently nudged against his mother's seal.

Tightening his hold on it he pulled it out and brought it against Merlin's flat stomach. He hugged Merlin and the seal as he thrust one final time spilling his seed for the second time inside the owner of his heart. Merlin tensed for just a moment as he realized what the coldness against his stomach belonged to. His insides did a double take as he slowly wrapped his hands around the seal and Arthur's fingers. Bringing the seal and Arthur's hand up to his lips he gently kissed it as he too came. His heart could bear no more of the torture; he would take the seal as yet another final memory of the love they had shared.

Arthur smiled as he kissed Merlin's cheek and nudged his lips against the softness of his neck. "I love you," he said into Merlin's ear as he pressed his body even closer. He pushed his leg between Merlin's long ones and pressed it firmly against his shaft. Arthur kissed Merlin's cheek again and then his lips when Merlin offered them to him.

Merlin deepened their kiss and brought his arm around the back of Arthur's head as he turned slightly to face him. He found himself quickly loosing himself again as he felt Arthur's fingers encircle his now half hardened shaft. He pressed his hips hard against Arthur, gasping at the sensations escaping from between his legs. He was fully hard now; his breath became shallow and erratic as the heat moved up to the rest of his body. "Arthur…" Merlin gasped as he pressed even harder against Arthur's hard and thick cock, clearly telling his lover what he wanted.

Without a word, Arthur moved Merlin's hips upward and slipped inside, thrusting deep into him again. He felt Merlin's hand tighten around his neck as he matched his pace. After a few more thrusts, Arthur pulled out trying to change their position and Merlin quickly pushed his hips towards him refusing to stop. "Get on your knees…" Arthur said as he managed to slip from Merlin's grasp and stood on his knees on the bed. Moving Merlin the rest of the way down, with his face against a pillow, Arthur slipped back inside. He ran his hand down Merlin's bent back and traced the curve of it, the thought of spending the rest of his life experiencing this intoxicating intimacy with the beautiful creature before him almost made him climax.

Merlin's gasps became louder as Arthur thrust harder into him, he held tightly to the sheets and felt a tug at his heart as he saw Arthur's hand move to cover his hand entwining their fingers together Why couldn't he have this with the old Arthur? He asked himself as he bit his lip to stop the fresh tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. Arthur moved Merlin's hand further up, passed the locks of damp dark hair, lowering his back against Merlin's. He kissed Merlin hard on the lips as he tightened his hold, thrusting again and again until he had them both coming in gasps for the third time.

Arthur pulled out and slowly moved back to the bed as his wound started to throb. He cursed his wound as his eyes fell back on the sweaty naked body of Merlin and the seal now in his slim hand. A smile crossed his face as he leaned all the way onto the bed and felt Merlin's body rub against him.

XXX

Evelyn found herself in a dark and dinky place, she was blindfolded so there wasn't much she could make out besides the chirping of birds coming somewhere from outside. She wiggled around as she tried to set herself free, but only managed to fall off the bed landing hard on the rough ground. Footsteps filled the small enclosure as someone opened the door and approached. Suddenly her blindfold and bindings fell off; Evelyn looked around and paused at the familiar figure of the old woman. "You saved me, but why did you bring me to your hut?" She asked as she got on her feet and rubbed at the red marking the rope had made on her wrists, missing the most important question, why had she been tied up.

"Wasn't this the place you were planning to come looking for?" The old woman croaked as she coughed to clear her throat, bending almost all the way forward by the severity of her coughs. Then her eyes flashed a recognizable golden color as Evelyn dropped to the floor in pain clinging to her head. "Do not misread my actions silly girl." She said in a completely different voice, much younger and firm.

XXX

Merlin woke to the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. He quickly jumped off the bed and hopped from one place to another jamming his clothes back on. With one boot on, he looked around frantically for the other one. Moving back towards the bed, Merlin looked under it. As he wrapped his fingers around it, his eyes fell on the glass bottle. Taking the bottle as well he moved to the table, setting it down he finished getting dressed.

Something glimmered in the bottom of the bottle making his curiosity spike and he brought it up, inches from his face. A small gasp escaped his lips as his eyes took notice of the small amount of liquid still inside. Merlin quickly moved his gaze to the sleeping form of Arthur, his nakedness half hidden under the sheets. The potion hadn't worked, Arthur wasn't cured. The realization of it made his eyes water and he rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hand as he looked once more at the bottle. Another set of footsteps, but much closer than the last, brought Merlin to his senses and he bolted from the room.

XXX

Gaius finished changing Roderick's bandages and made his way to the table where his now cold breakfast was waiting. Merlin hadn't slept in his room last night and it worried him. "Where you been? Did you manage to give Arthur the potion?" Gaius asked as soon as Merlin entered, noticing the empty bottle in his hand.

Merlin looked at his friend, hesitation in his heart. He slowly handed Gaius the bottle and remained silent as the physician's eyebrow shot up. "He didn't' drink it all. What I tell you Merlin!" Gaius exclaimed as he shook his head and moved to his cupboards. "I will need a few of the ingredients; go down to the market while I start preparing another cure." He said to Merlin as he handed him the bag and moved to write down the ones he needed before handing it over as well.

Merlin only silently nodded and moved to do as he was instructed; swinging the bag over his slumped shoulders he left. Gaius moved to set the few ingredients he did have into a clean bowl, but paused as he raised his head at a knock on the door. Opening it, he saw that an elderly woman stood there nervously rubbing her hands across her apron. "Oh Gaius, my husband is very sick. Please help us." She said in-between sobs. "Certainly, let me get my medicine bag." Gaius quickly replied as he grabbed it and closed the door behind him, missing the white light shining through Roderick's bandages.

XXX

Arthur groaned as he moved in the bed, his head sprung up as he realized that other than the pillows and sheets he was alone in it. Turning slowly to his uninjured side, Arthur looked lazily around the empty room. He moved his hand through his hair as he moved to sit up. His eyes fell on the seal lying in the middle of the tossed sheets. A grin crossed his face as he moved to his scattered clothes on the floor. Arthur, now fully dressed, made his way to Merlin's room with seal in hand.

XXX

Roderick's eyes flipped open, they ran across the unfamiliar ceiling before he decided to try and move. He slowly sat up and stared down at his torn bloody shirt, and the equally bloodied bandages under the tattered cloth. Not a single scar evident in his skin as he raised his shirt and removed the bandages, confirm his first suspicions. Arthur had run him through this much was true; he still remembered the cold steal as it sliced through his skin and cut at his muscles. Pulling his shirt back down he looked towards the sound of footsteps nearing the door.

Merlin pushed the door open and moved to set the ingredients he bought from the market down on the table when his eyes fell on Roderick. The bag slipped from his fingers and landed with a thump on the floor. A wicked smile crossed Roderick's face as he looked at Merlin. "Well, I must have really died to see you before me yet again. You're more breathtaking then I remember." He coaxed as he made his way towards Merlin, his eyes darkening.

Merlin moved a step back as he looked nervously around for Gaius. "Stay back." He managed to say as Roderick raised a hand toward him. Just then Arthur stepped through the still open doorway. "Merlin, you left…" The King's voice faltered as his eyes landed on Merlin and Roderick standing only inches apart from each other. The seal fell from his fingers and banged against the floor as Arthur narrowed his eyes and rushed towards Roderick. He slammed into Roderick hard making them fall over Gaius's bed and collide with the ground on the other side of it.

Gaius stepped inside, his foot gracing the seal on the floor and the physician looked at it surprised before picking it up. His head shot up as the racket in the room reached his ears. "What is going on? Merlin, Arthur?" Gaius asked as he noticed the ruffled King fighting with a fully awake Roderick and Merlin who was trying to pry him off. Arthur seemed to calm down a bit as Merlin whispered in his ear and he let go of Roderick and left not bothering to answer Gaius' question. The physician exchanged puzzled looks with Merlin as Roderick rose to his feet dusting himself off, a glimpse of his completely healed skin showing briefly. Before any of them could say a word, several guards rushed through the door and grabbed Roderick taking him with them.

Roderick was tossed into a cell and he stumbled on his feet as the guards locked the door behind him. "No need to be so polite." He spat as his eyes adjusted to the darkness and he moved towards the farthest wall. Something ruffled in one of the corners of the cell and Roderick turned his attention to it. "I guess you didn't die after all." Ivor said as he rubbed his rough chin, a sly smile on his face half hidden in the dark.

XXX

Merlin stared at the new bottle in his hands, turning it over several times. "You sure you didn't heal him?" Gaius asked for the thousand time moving to put back any unused ingredients. "I didn't use my magic. When I walked in he was already awake." Merlin said as he looked up at his friend. "I should take this to Arthur," he quickly changed the subject as he tried to leave; not wanting to explain about the seal that now lay safely on Gaius' table.

"Yes, that would be best. Once Arthur is cured we can look into who could have cured Roderick." Gaius said as he set the last bottle back in the cupboard. Merlin made his way out and back to Arthur's chambers, the feeling at the back of his mind getting worse. Something big was going to happen and he needed to make sure he was by Arthur's side when it did.

Merlin entered Arthur's chambers and waited near the door when he spotted Arthur talking to Sir Leon. "I will go down later myself and speak with Roderick, in the meantime make sure no one mentions anything to anyone. We don't want panic in the lower towns with talk about magic within the walls of Camelot." Leon nodded at his orders and stepped out. Arthur moved towards Merlin and touched his face as he looked into his eyes. "Are you ok?"

Merlin nodded and handed the bottle to Arthur. "Gaius said…." But Arthur interrupted him as he grabbed it. "To drink it all, I know." The young King said as he set it down on the table and returned his attention to Merlin. He kissed him slowly and then deeper as he pushed Merlin back against the table, running his hand up his back. Merlin suddenly pushed Arthur away as he hugged his head. The same voices as before echoed in his head and got louder as the pain shot through the back of his head.

"Merlin, what's wrong?" Arthur said as a look of complete worry crossed his face. He placed his hands on Merlin's shoulder as he turned him back towards him. "Arthur…."Merlin gasped and then pressed tighter the sides of his head in an attempt to silence the words jumbling inside. He closed his eyes as one word rang clearer than the rest, "Emrys," and tilted his head to the side. Catching wind where it was coming form, Merlin quickly opened his eyes and looked towards the other side of the room.

The old woman stepped out of the shadows near Arthur's changing screen, her lips parting to reveal her even more crooked teeth. A laugh rang through the room as Arthur looked at the direction Merlin was looking and unsheathed his sword. The brave King quickly stepped in front of Merlin. "Witch, you will stop whatever you're doing to Merlin this instance." He demanded as he moved towards her ragged form. "I don't think so." She mocked, her eyes turned gold and Merlin let out an even louder yell as the pain got stronger, the voices the only thing he could hear now. Arthur stopped and looked back at Merlin.

The sorceress started to chant, her eyes turning a golden hue once more as her lips lingered briefly on the last word of the spell. Merlin fell to the ground holding onto his right arm, the pain spreading through it far worse than the one that still lingered in his head. Arthur rushed back to his side, never letting go of his hold on the sword as he looked at his manservant and placed his free hand on Merlin's back. Merlin's arm started to glow, the golden light even brighter than it had been the first time Merlin had cast the same spell. He toppled over as another shot of pain ran through him and another mark appeared underneath the first one. The name Arthur Pendragon shimmered then turned black against his skin.


	20. Uncertainties

Arthur looked on in horror at his name on Merlin's skin; the mark was both beautiful and terrifying. He tried to call Merlin back, to distract him from the pain that seemed to course through his entire body. The anger of seeing the one he loved shake in pain drove Arthur mad, he quickly rose to his feet and charged the sorceress with every intention of killing her.

The old hag laughed even harder and raised her hand up, her wrinkled fingers twitched violently as her eyes turned gold for the third time and Arthur went flying backwards. He slammed into the wall hard and slid down to the floor half unconscious, the air knocked out of him. Arthur moved slightly, raised a hand to his head and a trail of blood ran down it to his fingers. He could feel the cold stone pressed against his back; it took him a moment to collect himself and sit up. Arthur tried to get to his feet but succeed only in stumbling back down, his eyes trailing back to Merlin. What he saw then caused his face to fill with even more dread.

Merlin still lay where he was, lost in his pain, within the voices in his head, and unaware of the danger slowly moving towards him. "Stay away from him." Arthur yelled as he tried again to get to his feet, but was held in place by an unseen force. He gripped his sword tighter and pushed harder to no avail, he watched helplessly as the old woman reached her hand out to Merlin and touched the side of his face. "Don't touch him!" Arthur screamed in pure helplessness and frustration.

"You act like I am the bad person here. I came to help." The old hag told Arthur, leaning down towards Merlin and whispered various unrecognizable words into his ear. As soon as she was done Merlin's eyes turned gold and stayed that color, his shaking stopped instantly.

Arthur struggled to free himself and could only stare at the back of Merlin's form as his fear of losing Merlin overtook his every thought. "I cured your arrogant Prince Roderick did I not? I set you free of the war that was to follow after his death." The old hag continued as her eyes moved past Merlin to rest on Arthur's, a wicked grin on her face. "And I offer my help for yet the final threat that still hangs over you and Camelot." Her grin grew wider as she noticed Merlin's eyes finally turned back to blue. She stepped back towards the other side of the room and stared at the undiluted anger spreading across Arthur's face.

Merlin stirred slowly back to consciousness as the voices in his head dissipated to a single voice and the pain subsided to a tolerable level.  _"Shall I help you Merlin? Do you want me to tell him what you cannot?"_  The young female voice echoed inside his mind. As he managed to push the voice from his mind, he looked up through his slightly clouded eyes.

"You have magic! It has always sought to destroy. Magic is no friend of Camelot; it is no friend of mine." Arthur spat at the old hag with great conviction as he once more tried to set himself loose and to his surprise he tumbled forward, the hold keeping him back no longer there. The old hag beamed with victory, she could feel one of the last pieces fall into place. Merlin's heart shattered just a bit more as the words of his beloved King hit their mark unintentionally and he stumbled all the way to the floor, eyes fully closed. "Merlin," Arthur cried out as he rushed to his side. "What have you done to him?"

"He is not the one you should be worried about. You're under a love spell; the mark on Merlin is proof of it. What you feel for him is not real." The old hag declared as she readied her next spell. "You lie, you've done something to Merlin and you won't get away with it." Arthur stated as he looked up at her, Merlin's head resting on his lap. "Ask your dear physician and he will confirm it or better yet take that vial and you will see." The sorceress said as she pointed a crooked finger towards the bottle Merlin had given Arthur. A gust of wind filled the room and then disappeared along with the old hag.  _"You will see Merlin, the kind of King you really serve."_ The words resonated in Merlin's once more unconscious mind over and over before completely fading.

Arthur touched Merlin's face; he ran his fingers across the delicate lips and then moved his fingers down over the mark on Merlin's arm, something stirred in his stomach as his skin touched the branded ivory skin. Merlin was truly his and his alone, but was it only because of some enchantment? Could it really be true? He looked up at the bottle and then back to the unconscious Merlin. These feelings he felt, they felt real, and they felt right! How could they have been caused by something so petty as magic? "Wake up Merlin…" Arthur whispered as he lowered his head to rest just above his manservant's.

The door creaked open and Gaius stepped inside. "Sire, I've brought you your medicines…." The physician said as he moved further into the room, the tray of medicines dropping to the floor in a heap of broken glass and swirling metal as his eyes fell on Merlin. Arthur quickly moved slightly away, trying to hide the tears in his eyes. "Merlin…" Gaius called out to the young warlock as he quickly looked him over. His eyes paused on the black mark on Merlin's right arm and he gasped, Arthur's name dark and black against the pale soft skin.

"Gaius is it true, am I under some type of enchantment?" Arthur struggled to ask as his lungs got heavier making it hard for him to breath and his eyes wandered back to Merlin. It was too much; he wanted Gaius to tell him that they were all lies. He wanted Merlin to wake and say with that silly grin of his that he really did love Arthur, that what they had was real and that magic had nothing to do with it. "I'm afraid so, sire. Evelyn slipped you a love potion, but I was unaware that Merlin had been the recipient of that affection brought on by it." Gaius sadly confirmed it setting Merlin's marked arm back down to the floor.

Arthur's face filled with confusion and dismay as he looked back up at the vial and then at Merlin's unconscious body. With one swift movement, he was on his feet, bottle in hand. "Sire…?" Gaius softly spoke as he noticed the cure in the King's hand and the expression he bore. What exactly had happened to these two young men? He thought to himself as he saw Arthur give him one small nod, uncork the bottle and drink it in one gulp down to the last drop.

Arthur set the bottle down and moved back to Merlin's side. Merlin still did not stir and as he forced himself to wait a few more seconds he started to feel his whole body tingle. Rising back to his feet and reaching for the edge of the table for support, Arthur closed his eyes as he saw flashes of color, then nothing. He blinked several times and the room came back into focus.

Merlin's mark started to slowly disappear, one letter at a time until Arthur's name was completely nonexistent. His eyes opened and his lips parted as he tried to speak. Gaius helped him to his feet. "Gaius?" His confused expression as he looked at his friend was replaced with realization and he turned towards Arthur. "Arthur…" Merlin called out to him as he moved towards him scanning the room for the old hag. He laid his hand on Arthur's arm when his King failed to reply.

Arthur quickly slapped it away and finally abandoning his downward gaze looked up at him, his eyes reflecting nothing but coldness in them. "You knew about the enchantment and yet you made me believe. " Arthur accused as Merlin's face turned even sadder. "How dare you Merlin, I…." Arthur yelled banging his fist against the table and then pointing his finger at him, the truth was just unbearable and he was unable to finish what he wanted to say. "Guards…" His voice reached a holler as he moved away from Merlin and towards the door, the anger growing by every passing second.

"Sire, I'm sure Merlin..." Gaius tried to reason with the infuriated King thinking the worst. Arthur swung around and faced the physician, his eyes baring no hint of forgiveness. "You have no idea the severity of what has happened, on what I was led to do." Arthur practically shouted at him as his eyes wandered towards Merlin, lingering there before staring back at Gaius again.

Merlin was paralyzed on the spot as tears streamed down his face and his now dry throat robbed him of speech. He could only look down at his boots, anywhere but at the accusing gaze in Arthur's eyes. "Yes my lord!" Two guards replied in union as they stepped into the room and awaited their orders. Arthur turned his attention back to them.

"I want Evelyn brought to me at once. Search everywhere, she has been found guilty of meddling with a sorcerer." The guards nodded and hurried on their way. "And you Merlin shall not be in my chambers when I return." The misguided King ordered before following his guards out, his feelings were in too much of a chaotic mess to trust being near Merlin. The doors closed loudly behind his retreating figure leaving Gaius and an extremely wounded Merlin behind.

XXX

Evelyn stumbled through the marketplace, her bare and cut feet barely moving underneath her muddy skirts. She shook her head as she tried to clear away the grogginess in her mind. A shout ran out to her left and she jumped as she recognized it as her name. "There she is," A guard yelled as he pointed at her direction. "Stop, you are under arrest by the order of the King." Another guard yelled at her as she looked behind her for a means of escape. They were moving towards her and she ran, her legs making easy use of her new found energy.

Several more guards made chase, but she was swift on her feet and managed to elude each one. As she turned a sharp corner she came face to face with Gwaine. The infuriated Knight pointed his sword at her and grinned. "I seemed to have caught me a lost little rat." Gwaine said through clenched teeth as he moved closer to her. Evelyn's eyes widened as the sword got closer, she tried to run back the way she had come to only find Percival blocking it. She was caught; her hands were quickly tied and bound.

Gwaine snagged the rope and her tied hands violently as he led her back to the castle. She tried to wiggle her way out of his grasp, but he only tightened it more without any remorse. "Wouldn't want you to miss your welcoming party," Gwaine snared at her as he pushed her through the double doors of the throne room. Evelyn was brought to her knees in front of the King, who seemed to want to glare a whole into her as he stared straight at her. Arthur rose from his throne chair and rested a hand on the hilt of his sword as he stopped inches from Evelyn. "What do you have to say for yourself? Is it true you sought out a sorcerer and gave me a potion that contained an enchantment?" Arthur said, his eyes getting even colder as the last word left his lips.

"Yes!" Evelyn found herself saying. Her eyes went wide in disbelief as she realized what she had just said. No, why was she telling the truth. She had wanted to deny it, she needed to deny it, to lie, but her voice faltered and nothing came out. Evelyn moved her tied hands up to her throat as she tried again to speak but only empty gasps escaped her lips.

"You have been found guilty of consorting with magic and will be hanged at dawn." Arthur declared as he swung around and stood near his throne, his back to her. Evelyn felt the fear slowly creep into her body as two guards lifted her up and dragged her out of the room. She found her voice just then and started to scream. A cell was opened and she was tossed inside it, before she could rise to her feet the key turned in the lock and the guards retreated back to their posts. Evelyn fell back to the thin layer of hay scattered on the cell floor as the dreadful thought ran though her mind, she was going to die.

XXX

Gaius sat across from Merlin in one of the tables, the bench he sat on was quite uncomfortable at the moment; he pushed the seal slowly across the table towards Merlin. "I suppose this belongs to you." The physician said rather blankly as he looked up at his friend clearly recognizing Ygraine's seal. "Mind filling me in?"

"Gaius, I tried to stay away from him. I reminded myself that he was under an enchantment, but…" Merlin broke off as he ran his hand across his face and to his forehead to ruffle his hair there. His eyes watered up again and he wiped at his cheeks with his sleeve. Merlin couldn't bring himself to say the intimate details of their excursions or how he had fallen in love with Arthur.

"Arthur can be quite persistent and stubborn when he wants to be. I just didn't take him much for the charming type; he always did struggle in that area." Gaius teased trying to lighten the mood and grasping how hard it was for Merlin to explain. "You should have told me Merlin, I could have helped." He stated as he rose to his feet and moved to his table to stare at the mess he currently had scattered all over it. "Let's just be happy he didn't find out about you having magic." His weird sense of reassurance doing nothing to make Merlin's ruffled state any better.

"She knows I have magic." Merlin suddenly gasped as he rose to his feet and started to pace. "Evelyn knows Gaius, she knows!"

"How many times do I have to tell you that your magic is something you guard with your life?" Gaius bellowed as he got up and moved to check if any actual guards were coming to arrest Merlin. "What am I going to do?" Merlin asked as his face filled with sadness at the thought that he might have to leave Camelot and Arthur, he could not bear it.

A knock on the door made them hold their breaths and a guard stepped through. "Gaius, the King requests your presence. He needs you to check on Roderick and Ivor." The man said as he stepped back out and waited by the open door. Gaius gave Merlin one final worried look and left with his medicine bag in tow. Merlin paced a few more times before turning around and moving through the open doorway, he deciding to follow, quickly making his way down the stairs.

XXX

Arthur paced impatiently outside as he waited for Gaius, after he noticed it was taking too long he descended to the cells and to Roderick. Waiving for the guards to unlock the cell, he took a deep breath and stepped into the cell along with two guards. Roderick and Ivor quickly got to their feet and made as to move towards Arthur, the guards quickly caught on.

Ivor was pushed against the wall and pinned as the second guard held on to Roderick. "Aw, I see we finally get the pleasure of the King's company." Roderick sneered as he fought to loosen the hold the guard had on him. Arthur just glared at him as he made his hand into a fist and brought it hard towards Roderick's face before shoving him against the wall, the guard having caught on and conveniently stepped out of the way. "You will leave Camelot and never come back." The young King growled at Roderick as he pushed him even harder against the wall.

"And why would I do that?" Roderick threw back as he struggled to breathe; Arthur's arm was pressed against his throat, choking the air out of him. "You have nothing against me, I only defended myself and besides he is only a servant." He managed to say as Arthur loosened the pressure enough, trying to rile Arthur even more.

"You will leave Camelot if you don't want Lord Godwyn to find out someone forged his seal to produce a very important document pertaining to his daughter." Arthur repeated himself, this time making sure to throw his ace card on the table. He loosened his grip even more as he saw a hint of understanding cross Roderick's eyes. "Faking a King's seal is a very serious crime. Wouldn't you agree Roderick?"

Roderick closed his eyes and rested his head against the cold cell wall, they had been caught, and there was no way out of it. Before Roderick could say anything Gaius stepped into the cell. "Sire, you summoned me?" He said as he looked around the cell at the two men occupying it and then back to his King.

"Yes, these two will be released and will be escorted out of Camelot. I need you to dress any injuries they might have gotten." Arthur stated as he stared at the fresh bruise forming on Roderick's princely face and the blood dripping from his mouth and nose. He stepped out of the cell and made his way towards the stairs slamming into Merlin. Everyone was silent as they looked on, the tension between them obvious to everyone in the room.

"What are you doing here Merlin?" Arthur finally spoke as he clenched his jaw and struggled to keep his hands at his sides. Merlin didn't know what to say, he hadn't expected Arthur to be down in the cells and had hoped he could catch a glimpse of Evelyn, maybe even sneak away to speak to her. The King's eyes strayed to Merlin's lips, following the slow parting and closing of them, and he cursed as he hurriedly pushed Merlin aside taking two steps at a time.

"Merlin, did I tell you to come with me?" Gaius scolded Merlin as he pulled him aside. "You need to stay away from Arthur until we can find out exactly what Evelyn told him." He whispered to Merlin as he pushed towards the steps. Merlin looked at him with a defeated look and then retreated the way he had come, he would just have to risk coming back at night.

Gaius returned to Roderick and Ivor, after inspecting and addressing their wounds he left to inform the king that they were good to go. There had been no traces of any enchantments on neither of the men and Gaius knew the King would be relieved to hear about it. After all that had been Arthur's real reason for demanding that he look them over.

XXX

Roderick and Ivor climbed their horses without a word, their swords and weapons had not been returned to them. They were to leave with only what they had on their backs and the rest of their belongings to be handed over to them until they were passed Camelot's borders. Roderick looked down at his tattered shirt and back up at the knights that were to accompany them. He cursed the audacity of Arthur in insisting on humiliating him this way.

Ivor slowly moved his horse towards where Gwaine stood ready to lead them out the gates. "It's a shame you won't be escorting us. You know if I had a better master like yours I might have turned out more like you." He said as he smirked at the death glare the knight gave him.

"No you wouldn't have." Gwaine plainly said, getting on his own horse and moving to the front of the line. With a swing of their reins the small party was off. The knight turned back towards the castle once the last horse had reached the end of the path and was entering the woods. He gave one last glance back at Percival, Leon and the other two knights before galloping back towards the castle, his anger evident in his eyes. Arthur had forbidden Gwaine from escorting them any further and his duty to Merlin was the only thing keeping him from ignoring it.

XXX

Merlin looked cautiously over the railing at the two guards below. His eyes turned gold and a racket a few ways off caught their attention, making them leave their post to investigate. Merlin quickly moved down the steps and towards Evelyn's cell. He stopped a few inches from it and peeked inside, it was too dark to make anything out. A gritty hand reached out and clasped the handkerchief around his neck, pulling him closer to the bars.

"What do you want Merlin? Perhaps you have decided to break me out?" Evelyn asked as her eyes tried to observe Merlin's. She let go and moved back to the corner she had been sitting by. "I want to know what you told Arthur." Merlin said as he looked behind him to see if he had been noticed, seeing no signs that the guards had he turned back to Evelyn.

"I told him the truth….now leave me alone. I would like some peace and quiet before I am hanged tomorrow." She stated her voice dropping at the dreadful word. "Hanged?" The young warlock repeated as his eyes showed disbelief. "Yes, I am to hang tomorrow for being a fool and trying to enchant the King. Don't act like you weren't looking forward to it. After all the last time we ran into each other in the King's chambers we didn't exactly have a picnic." Evelyn replied flaring her arms about and raising her voice higher, the hatred she had for him taking her over.

Merlin quickly moved from the bars and retreated into the other corridors. Evelyn's memory of him having magic was gone, she didn't remember. He carefully made his way past the guards and back to his room and a still sleeping Gaius. Merlin leaned against his door, unable to grasp the truth that Arthur had sentenced Evelyn to hang and how exactly she had lost her memory of their real last confrontation. Moving towards the table, he ran his fingers across the seal, picked it up and turning it over in his hands before setting it back down.

XXX

Arthur paced in his room, it seemed like it was all he was doing the past few hours. He tried to get a handle on his feelings, he felt betrayed, used, and above all he felt lost, confused. The memories, all of them, were still there as clear as the liquid that had freed him of the enchantment. Every word he ever whispered into Merlin's ear, every touch, every pleasure, threatened to drive him mad.

Before the King knew what he was doing, his feet had carried him to Merlin's door. Gaius lay snoring for the first time in many days in his own bed. Arthur stood looking at the wooden door, his hand inches away from it. He took a deep breath and pushed the door, it swung open without a protest and Arthur slowly stepped inside. His eyes landed on Merlin's sleeping form and then moved about the room. He quickly spun around and moved to leave when he spotted his mother's seal on Merlin's table resting next to a small wooden carved dragon.

Merlin stirred as Arthur's footsteps echoed down the steps and vanished through Gaius' door. He starred groggily at his open door and sat up rubbing his messed up hair, making it stick out even more. Pushing the thin sheet away from him, Merlin got to his feet and stepped down from his room. "Arthur…?" He said quietly as he looked about the room and then froze as the bell rang loudly through the castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Roderick is finally dealt with, though too kindly if I say so myself, but it was always my intention to let him go with the pending of war hanging over everyone's head. Can anyone guess why Gwaine didn't go with the rest of the knights? Evelyn finally begins to get what's coming to her. Arthur might not have been angry enough here, but trust me he is going to get even more angry in the next chapter. And sorry to say this is not a magic reveal story, I don't think I am ready to tackle that one and besides I haven't made up my mind on how I would want that to go down.


	21. Dangers unseen

Gaius sprang up on his bed; the blanket falling off his shoulders as the warning bell rid him of any chances of sleep. "What in the blazes is that racket…?" the physician asked still half asleep as he looked about the room. He opened and closed his eyes trying to clear the blurry vision of Merlin standing in the middle of the room in his sleeping clothes. "It's the warning bell." Merlin replied as he moved to get his boots and then to the door. "Where are you going Merlin?" Gaius called out at the retreating figure of the young warlock. "To investigate," Merlin stated with a half worried and half teasing look on his face.

Before Gaius could persuade him otherwise, Merlin ran down the steps and slowly made his way to the courtyard. He skidded to a stop and rushed to hide behind the wooden stage that had been built for Evelyn's execution. Arthur, now wearing his armor, was walking down the steps with several guards as he gave out his instructions. "I want the gates sealed and every inch of the lower towns searched. The prisoner must not be allowed to escape." Arthur ordered as he moved past the courtyard with another set of guards and knights in tow.

Merlin stepped back from his hiding spot as the courtyard cleared and looked up at the rope slightly swinging in the stale night air. He swallowed the knot nagging at his throat and rushed towards the direction Arthur had gone, determined to follow. Suddenly a hand shot out of the shadows and grabbed him, pulling him back against a wall where another hand covered his mouth. "Merlin what are you doing here? It isn't safe and Arthur will have your head." Gwaine stated as he looked towards the direction Arthur had gone and finally releasing his hold on his friend. "Go back to your room."

"What's going on? I won't go back until I know." Merlin said with a serious face. "Evelyn has escaped, we don't know how she managed, but we think she had help from the old woman who attacked you and Arthur." The knight explained as he turned Merlin around and led him back towards the opposite direction he had been trying to go. "Now go Merlin, it really isn't safe for you out here." Gwaine said with obvious concern on his face as he fiddled with the hilt of his sword and the uneasy feeling at the pit of his stomach.

Merlin nodded and moved back towards his room; Gwaine quickly ran towards the rest of the search party, giving one last look behind him to make sure Merlin had done as he had asked. Once Gwaine was out of sight, Merlin popped his head back out and followed, making sure to not get noticed this time. He kept to the shadows and hid behind crates and barrels as he slowly closed the distance between Arthur and himself. If Evelyn had escaped and magic was responsible, he needed to be near Arthur if he was to protect him, not matter what had happened until know that purpose was even stronger in his mind. His heart skipped a beat as Arthur came into view, the reminder of the hatred the King had for him spread through his body and he had to close his eyes to push it aside.

Taking a deep breath, he ran to the next object that would provide his cover and tripped over something sprawled on the ground. He knocked a few things hanging on the railing of one of the houses as he came crashing down on what had tripped him, his face landing inches from the dead guard's face. Merlin covered his mouth as he gasped and quickly moved to hide. Another guard came rushing towards the noise and stopped to inspect the dead guard. "Sire..!" He yelled at Arthur who came running to stand next to him.

"Inform the rest of the search party that Evelyn is not armed." Arthur ordered as he sheathed his sword and kneeled towards the dead body to inspect a second trail of blood near him. A yell further behind them soon had them running; one of the guards had spotted Evelyn and given her position away. Merlin gave one last glance at the dead guard before quickly following, making sure to be more careful where he stepped.

Evelyn ran as fast as her tired body could allow taking a sharp turn she found herself in a fork. She moved towards the other end and was forced to halt as Sir Gwaine came running into it, more knights and guards close behind. Evelyn moved back the way she had come to only have it blocked by King Arthur and his group of men. She laughed at her luck as she moved towards the middle of the fork tightening her grip on the bloody sword she held.

Merlin soon caught up with Arthur; his eyes scanned the area as he pressed himself into the shadows the wall a few feet behind the last guard provided. He could easily make out Evelyn as she stood against a wall, blood dripping slowly from a small wound on her side. Arthur and his men moved closer and Gwaine and his group did the same. "You are surrounded Evelyn, there is nowhere to run. Drop the sword and turn yourself in." Arthur ordered as he moved two steps closer.

"So you can have me hanged. I rather go down taking a few of your men with me." Evelyn spat as she raised her sword and pressed closer to the wall, her face contorted with hatred at the King she had only days ago been trying to enchant into marring her. Her eyes desperately trailed from Gwaine to the Arthur as the obviousness of her situation sank in.

Something red behind Arthur caught her eye and as her gaze rested on Merlin, the grip on her sword shook slightly, her rage blurring her vision. Gwaine rushed her taking notice of the shift in her attention, but before he could get a hand on her a bright light burst through the darkness blinding them. Once the light was gone and their sight returned, Evelyn was gone. Merlin silently moved back towards the castle as everyone tried to grasp what had just happened.

XXX

The castle had soon settled down, Evelyn was nowhere to be found and the search was put on hold for the rest of the night. More guards were posted near the gates and all through the castle grounds, eyes were more alert then normal at the lingering whispers of magic being behind the prisoner's escape. The guards outside the King's chambers were doubled and even a guard was instructed to stay close to Gaius' and Merlin's chambers, though those orders remain unnoticed by the once more sleeping Gaius and troubled Merlin.

Moonlight spewed through the small window and fell on the young warlock, who stirred in his recently found sleep. He tossed and turned on his bed at the nightmare that plagued him. Merlin found himself in the Valley of the fallen Kings, the mist was everywhere but he could still make Arthur's form in it. "Arthur…Arthur" Merlin called out to his King, but Arthur still moved further away from him. He was practically running now, the mist was so thick he couldn't even make out his fingers in front of him anymore.

Arthur's scream sliced through the eerie mist and he panicked, " _Prosm tohweorfe_ " Merlin quickly chanted as his eyes flashed a golden hue and the mist began to move. He moved his still raised hand, directing the mist behind him and as the surroundings cleared his lips let out a scream of their own. Arthur lay half kneeling, half held up by some type of horrible creature. Blood trailed from his armor and chainmail to join the pool beneath his feet. Merlin could not move only stare as his King's lips let out one final breath and fell to the ground dead.

Laughter spread from the creature's lips as Merlin stumbled towards the King. Merlin felt the slippery twig move under his boot as he lost his footing and crashed to the hard ground. His golden eyes shut with the impact of the fall and it took Merlin a few seconds to gather himself. He opened his eyes again, their blue haze searching for Arthur's body. Merlin rose and stared at the tree root near his feet, grass and twigs sticking to his hair and clothes. Dusting himself off, Merlin looked around the woods fully awake and completely clueless; he was no longer in the Valley of the Fallen Kings, but in the middle of the woods just outside the castle grounds.

Merlin moved through the woods relieved to be rid of that horrible nightmare, but even more worried on how he had gotten there. As he tried to make his way back to the castle, a rustling to his left made him stop in his tracks. The rustling got closer and before Merlin could find a place to hide behind Gwaine stood behind him, his sword against Merlin's throat. "Merlin, I could have killed you. What are you doing out here?" The knight said realizing who it was he held under his sword; removing his sword from Merlin's throat he quickly sheathed it.

"I'm not sure…" Merlin said as he rubbed the area where the sword had nicked his skin. Another rustling behind them had Arthur standing a few feet off to their side. "Arthur…" He found himself saying as the nervousness started to kick in. Arthur slowly looked at Merlin, still trying to process why his manservant was in the woods they were searching, in his sleeping clothes no less, and not back in his bed where he had last seen him. His face went from serious to enraged, he quickly made his way to Merlin and grabbed him by his white shirt. Arthur pushed him against a tree and brought his face close to Merlin's, their lips almost touching. "What are you doing her Merlin?" his voice shook with a mixture of anger and worry as his eyes trailed to Merlin's plum soft lips.

"Alright Your Highness, you need to cool down." Gwaine said as he pulled Arthur off Merlin and moved to step in between them making it obvious to the King he wasn't happy about his friend being treated that way. Arthur looked at Merlin, then at Gwaine, and then back at Merlin. He clenched his hands into fists as the jealously started to seep in. "Your services are no longer required." Arthur yelled at Merlin as he stepped closer only to have Gwaine reaffirm his unspoken loyalty to his friend and his willingness to protect him.

"You're sacking me?" Merlin asked in total dismay at being discarded and completely missing the mistaken jealousy throbbing in Arthur's heart.

"Merlin I need a servant I can trust and..." Arthur began to scream and then lost his voice as his eyes moved from Gwaine to the tears silently falling against Merlin's cheeks. Merlin affected him in so many ways; it was getting harder for him to control the forbidden emotions he still hadn't sorted out and he needed to keep his distance from his manservant as much as he could until then. "I need you to leave. Now..!" He managed to say as the need to embrace Merlin was replaced with the obvious danger he was in with Evelyn and the sorceress abound, thought of keeping him to his chamber until it passed suddenly crossed his mind.

Merlin slowly moved past Gwaine and Arthur as he made his way back to the castle, his heart shattering into tiny pieces. Gwaine frowned even more at the retreating figure of his friend and then moved his gaze to the King. The expression on Arthur's face was too much for the Knight and he found himself pushing Arthur into a tree. "If you feel so bad about it my lord, then you should go and apologize for your foolishness." Gwaine snared at him as he tightened his hold. "You will learn your place Gwaine and rethink what you are implying." Arthur yelled back as he pushed Gwaine off him.

"My place was escorting Roderick and Ivor back to their little dank hole not scanning the woods for a treacherous woman I had already warned you about." Gwaine threw back as he straightened his armor and continued his murderous stare towards Arthur. "You know very well why that is." The young King stated as he too fixed his appearance before returning an almost equal glare back at his knight.

"You shouldn't have let him go, what he tried to do to Merlin…"Gwaine trailed off as he lost his temper and punched a tree, the pain doing nothing to numb the hatred he could hardly control sweeping through him. "He deserved nothing, but a quick death."

Another knight caught up with them putting a stop to whatever either was about to say next. "My lord we found something." The knight said before running off towards the rest of the group, his red hair bopping up and down.

XXX

Merlin pushed the door and entered Gaius' chamber with little to no desire. He quickly made his way towards his room when he spotted Gaius in his usual spot behind his table. A sad expression crossed his face at the thought of never seeing him again. The physician looked up from the few more translations he had been able to decipher, his glasses half way down his nose. "Are you ok Merlin?" Gaius asked as Merlin stepped into his room, locking himself inside once more.

Merlin broke down as soon as the clasp locked in place creating some extra space between him and everything he had grown attached to. He cried softly at first, trying to sooth the pain and tightness he felt there. Arthur was everything to him and now the one person he could never learn to be without didn't want him or need him. The words Arthur had said to him echoed over and over in his mind until he leaned against the door and slid down it to the floor.

A gentle tap on the door had him muffling his cries with his sleeve. "Merlin…" Gaius said tenderly as he felt his heart go out to the young man, he had no idea how much Merlin was suffering until today. His silent cries had still reached out through the door to tug at the physician's old heart.

"Please Gaius I would like to be alone." Merlin managed to reply as he continued to muffle the few sops that escaped his lips with his hand. "I'm going down to the market to get some Fleabane, Hawthorn, and Sweet pea." Gaius said through the door as he moved to pick up the basket.

Merlin looked sadly around his room and his eyes rested on his table. He rose to his feet and moved towards the seal Arthur had given him, which still lay where he had last set it. But before his fingers could touch it his body froze and Merlin fell back to the bed. He started to convulse as the pain shot through him and the voices returned with full force. "I won't be long." Gaius called across the room, unaware of what was happening to Merlin, and stepped out the door, making sure to quietly close it behind him.

Merlin's shaking stopped and he opened his eyes, they were pure golden. He slowly got up from the bed, opened his door, stepped down the few steps outside his room, and made his way out with one thought coursing through his mind, the woods. A guard was standing on the edge of the stairway when he noticed Merlin coming down the steps; he failed to catch the gold of his eyes half hidden by his downward gaze.

"You're to remain in your chamber, orders from the King." The guard explained as he moved to block Merlin from walking the rest of the steps down and finally noticing the weird color of his eyes. Merlin extended his hand out towards him, "Folge min bebod," and the guard screamed in pain as he was flung down the steps, his limp body now lay at the edge of the stairs. The young warlock's face remained indifferent as he stepped over the dead body and continued on his way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An enchanted Merlin who is still as clumsy if not more was just too hard to resist, I sure missed writing him this way. And I bet you all thought Evelyn was going to get hanged. She won't have the luxury of knowing that her death is coming that is all the hints I am giving on it. "Folge min bebod" means "Obey my command," according to the site I used and I'm not sure what "Prosm tohweorfe" means or if I spelled it right, Merlin used it in the episode Aithusa to direct the poisonous gas away from him. Tomorrow's chapter will have Merlin's and Evelyn's long awaited showdown. It's going to be epic. A ton more twists and turns will follow as this story comes very close to its conclusion. My mind is buzzing with excitement and anticipation as we finally reveal what has happened to Merlin (no he wasn't turned evil).


	22. Dwindling Hope

Arthur and Gwaine looked at the small hut as they moved cautiously towards it; it looked quite old and rundown, but far from abandoned. They couldn't make anything or tell if anyone was inside, but it was soon confirmed that its inhabitant did not linger when Arthur barged through the door. The force had the wood almost snapping in half as the King forced his way in.

Gwaine moved past the King and throughout the small confinement to stop in front of a small poorly constructed bed. He stared at the pieces of rope and cloth lying on the ground near it and pushed it around with his boot. "Whoever was here might return. I want a few men set up outside around this place; the rest will come with me and continue the search." Arthur ordered as he looked up at Gwaine and the two other knights that had managed to squeeze inside.

He moved back out the crooked doorway and scanned the area, clearly remembering never seeing a hut in these parts of the woods so close to Camelot. Arthur made his way to the rest of the knights that had remained outside and were huddled together having already finished securing the rest of the perimeter. Gwaine soon followed, giving one last glance at the old hut, and made his way deeper into the woods.

XXX

The villagers in the market were busy as they went about their usual business, a few passed by in a hurry while others took their time looking at the various items on display for them. Gaius signed as he looked at his still empty basket. He had made his way to the market in an attempt to give Merlin some space, but the worry in his heart made it impossible for him to think of anything especially shopping for herbs.

"What the…, Merlin?" Gaius called out as he turned around and spotted the young warlock making his way through the market. "Merlin…?" Gaius called out again, this time his face was filled with greater confusion as he made to follow, quickly setting back down the herbs in his hands. As he caught up with Merlin a gasp of surprise escaped his lips at the golden eyes staring down at him through lowered lashes. "Merlin what are you doing? You know the dangers of using magic in the open." Gaius whispered moving Merlin off to the side as another villager passed them by, this time a little too close for comfort.

Merlin moved Gaius' hand from his arm and kept moving, unresponsive to his questions or his surroundings. Gaius looked around frantically grasping the dangerous situation and his fingers clasped around the handle of a metal pan. He swung it at Merlin's head knocking the enchanted young warlock to the ground. He quickly hid it behind his back and shrugged at the onlookers who had stopped to stare. "The boy suffers from fainting spells." Gaius sheepishly said as a nervous smile crossed his face to hide his worried state.

Quickly setting the metal pan back where he had gotten it, the physician moved to kneel next to Merlin and lifted one eyelid. He sighed in relief as he stared at the blue eye underneath. Merlin slowly stirred and moaned as the pain ran through his head. "Why am I on the ground Gaius? And why does my head feel like it's just been hit by something metal?" Merlin asked as he moved to get up and rubbed the back of his head, his hair sticking out in all directions.

"I think you tripped and must have hit your head." Gaius replied as he reached for his basket and also rose to his feet. "Gaius what am I doing in the market?" Merlin asked as he looked around taking his surroundings in for the first time. "Don't ask me you've always been a puzzle to me Merlin. Come on we should get you back to your room and check on that thick head of yours." The physician continued as he led Merlin back to the castle grounds.

XXX

Arthur looked at the ring he held in his gloved hand and slowly turned it in his fingers, his eyes softening for just a moment. The ring had once belonged to his future Queen and had brought him misery to look at it. Now he held it and looked at it for an entirely different reason. With one final glance at it Arthur set the ring back into his pocket, his face red and flustered at the memories of the images that had run through his mind.

Gwaine cursed behind him as he got on his horse and quickly guided it towards Arthur and his horse. "If you suddenly got an urge to get on your horse and gallop to your princess I will totally understand." He teased with a smirk on his face revealing some of his white teeth. "I am pretty sure a nice fat kiss will have them forgiving you for slamming them against a tree." Arthur shot him a deadly glare and mounted his horse, his eyes never leaving Gwaine. He signaled for them to move out and they galloped further into the woods, Arthur was not giving up the search just yet even if it meant he had to wait longer to see Merlin.

XXX

Merlin pushed the door to their chambers and stepped in to only bump into a guard. "I'm sorry," He quickly apologized as he moved around the guard to make room for Gaius to enter. Two more guards stood in the room and one was sprawled on one of the tables obviously dead by the pale complexion on his face. "We found him like this at the edge of stairway just moments ago." One of the guards told the physician as he moved towards him. "I was coming to relieve him of his post." The other guard added as he looked at the dead body.

"I will look him over and let the King know of my findings." Gaius assured the guards as he moved aside to let them through and closed the door behind them. He walked over to the dead guard and started to remove his armor. "Help me with this Merlin." Gaius said as he pulled on another clasp in the armor to loosen it up. Merlin moved to help and soon the guard was free of his armor and chainmail.

"Who do you think could have done this?" Merlin asked as he stepped back and looked at his friend, completely clueless that his magic had been responsible. "I'm not sure..." Gaius started to say as he lifted the guard's shirt to reveal the bluish marks all over his body, the biggest mark on his chest indicating where the ribs had broken and punctured his lungs. "All the bones in his body seemed to have broken indicating that he was tossed by an immense force. He most likely died instantly." Gaius explained his findings as he moved the shirt back down and moved to check the neck and arms.

A soft knock on the door made their attention shift and Merlin moved to open it. The elderly woman from the day before stood there even more nervous and scared. "Gaius you told me to come see you if there were any change. My husband, he's gotten worse." Gaius nodded and moved to grab his bag and moved towards her. "I will be right back Merlin, it might be best if you stay here." And with that he was out the door making his way to the lower towns.

Merlin stared at the closed door and his mind was suddenly filled with the question on how he had ended up in the marketplace. The last thing he remembered was standing in his room staring at the seal Arthur had given him. He looked back at the dead guard and he was filled with sadness and concern. A feeling of familiarity creeping up on him, Merlin moved to sit on one of the benches and held his head in his hands as he tried to remember.

The box still lying on Gaius' table started to glow and flashes of images filled Merlin's mind. Merlin shut his eyes tighter as the images slowed down and got clearer. He opened his eyes as the images vanished and truth hit him hard. Merlin tried to stand up to only slip to the ground with his back hitting the bench, his shaken legs unable to hold him up as tears ran down his face.

XXX

Gaius gave a small bottle to the elderly woman as he stepped out. "This should keep his fever down enough to allow the other medicine to work. Give it to him every four hours, bigger doses if it doesn't seem to subside after half an hour. The worst should have passed." He reassured the woman as he bowed and left.

As he moved up the stairway leading to his and Merlin's room Geoffrey stopped him. "Gaius, I looked over your translations and your right, one of the symbols had a second meaning. I have written it in, but it still doesn't quite make sense. Where did you say you saw this?" Geoffrey said as he handed Gaius the parchment. "Oh I can't remember, but the symbols just wouldn't leave me alone." Gaius lied as he glanced over it and fear crept into his very being.

XXX

Merlin stumbled through the forest as he fought the desire to turn back around and head back to Camelot and Arthur. The images of him killing the guard crossed his mind again and he tightened his hold on his bag carrying his belongings and provisions. He couldn't put Arthur and his friends in danger, who knew when he would black out and end up killing someone else. No, the best thing was for him to stay away until he could better control and understand what was happening to him.

A noise up ahead made him stop walking and he frantically looked around trying to catch what had caused it. Again, but this time closer, the noise turned into rustling of twigs and leaves. Then Evelyn stepped out, her dress all but rags, torn and tattered in various places. Blood and mud coated her clothes and skin. She tightened the grip on the sword she carried, the blood on it all but dried cakes of dark red.

XXX

_That which is a part of me will be broken into two,_

_One of the seas and one of the earths_

_That of the seas shall be tasted and that of the earths_

_Shall be touched, both by a stronger magical essence_

_To bind forever mine as the words whispered seal it and control it_

_Shattered hearts resemble each as the darkness seeps_

Gaius reread the words as their true meaning seeped into his bones and brought shivers down his spine. He quickly thanked Geoffrey and made his way up the rest of the stairs and back to Merlin, his pace much quicker than before.

"Merlin…" Gaius called out as he entered the room to only find it void of the young warlock. He moved towards Merlin's room and pushed the door open to discover it bare of any personal belongings. Stepping further in Gaius looked around the room and his eyes fell on the folded parchment with his name written on it, the handwriting clearly familiar. He quickly opened it and read it, as his eyes scanned the writing on it both parchments fell from his fingers and fluttered to the floor.

Gaius rushed out of the room and quickly made his way to the courtyard, is heart beating rapidly in his chest. Arthur had just returned with his knights from his search in the forest and was getting off his horse when the physician stepped up to him. Gwaine jumped off his horse and moved towards the distraught physician, clearly grasping something was wrong. "He's gone sire!" Gaius exclaimed, his voice trembling with fear and uneasiness.

XXX

"It was you who messed with my memories and made me tell the truth. You didn't want me to tell your precious King the real truth." Evelyn screamed as she tossed herself at Merlin, knocking them both to the ground in the process. Her filthy tangled hair fell on Merlin's face, blocking his vision as he struggled to get from under her. "I am going to enjoy shoving this sword into your flesh you disgusting sorcerer." Evelyn snarled as she moved the sword to Merlin's throat. "I wasn't the one responsible for that, I only wanted you to undo what you did." Merlin tried to reason with her; Evelyn's eyes were vacant of any understanding other than the need to kill him.

" _Wace ierlic!"_ Merlin called out as his eyes changed color and Evelyn went flying towards a tree, she hit it hard and lost her grip on the sword. A moan escaped her lips as she became still and Merlin's eyes fell on the sword. " _Onbregdan_ ," The young warlock commanded the sword to his hands to only drop it when a flash of pain shot through the hilt and into his arm. He stared at it with confusion, the sword was enchanted, but Evelyn didn't have magic. Realization on who could have done it reached his mind and he scanned the trees around them.

Evelyn stirred and inched towards the sword, tugging one of Merlin's legs and making him fall down once more. She sprang to her feet and stood over him ready to plunge the sword into his chest. Merlin's eyes once more flashed gold as he whispered " _Ahatian!_ " The sword started to glow redder and redder as Evelyn tried to maintain her grasp on it, it burned against her flesh and she was forced to let go of it stepping back to rub at her burned hands.

" _Forbaerne firgenholt._ " Merlin said under his breath, his eyes firmly resting on the branch above Evelyn's head. A loud crack and Evelyn looked up to see the branch falling, she jumped back just barely and the broken branch landed on her leg with a loud crash. She rolled the log off her and moved into the trees, limping as the blood trailed down her leg. Merlin hastily rose to his feet and made chase, the woods filling with sinister laughter.

Evelyn lost footing on her one good leg and fell down, rolling a few ways further downhill, leaves catching on her hair and twigs scrapping her face and exposed skin. She painfully rose to her feet and wobbled behind a big tree resting her body against it, Merlin's footsteps resounding through the woods as they got closer. Suddenly Evelyn gasped as a figure moved past the tree and stopped in front of her. She raised a hand to her chest and sighed in relief as her eyes fell on the old hag.

"You frightened me; I thought you were him and I…" Evelyn started to say, the words leaving her lips unsaid as the dagger pierced her left lung and dug into her heart. Her pale fingers clung to the old hag's black cloak as she slipped downwards to the ground, eyes glazing with the sign of death. "You served your role perfectly." The old hag laughed as she pushed Evelyn's dead body the rest of the way to the ground and brought the dagger to her lips. She licked the blood clean off and hid the dagger back under her cloak, Merlin's calls sounding even closer as he came rushing downhill.

"Evelyn…" Merlin called out again as he stumbled around the tree to only come to an abrupt halt as his eyes fell on her dead body. He continued to look at it surprised and shocked at the same time, the wound clearly visible. Merlin moved to kneel down when a rustling behind him made him straighten back up and turn around.

"Hello Merlin," a young boy smirked as he moved out of the bushes and stood shyly on one foot and then the other, his legs a bit too shaky for his age.

"What are you doing out in the woods and how do you know my name?" Merlin asked as he tried to hide the view of Evelyn's dead body and spare the boy some unnecessary horror.

"Oh I was waiting for you and its ok if you don't remember me since I only appeared like this to you once before." The young boy replied as he started to slowly change, his brown hair grew longer and turned grey. His pale skin stretched and wrinkled, the woods filled with crackling bones as his body became that of the old hag. "I believe you recognize me more in this form." She laughed as she stepped closer to Merlin, her black cloak scraping across the fallen twigs and leaves.

"You…?" Merlin gasped in utter disbelief as he moved back and almost tripped on his feet in an attempt to make the distance between them greater. "I was done playing with her; she did everything I expected her to do." The old hag retorted as she ran a wrinkled hand down her lips and looked down at the dead body of Evelyn. "But if you ask me she should have set her eyes a bit higher, you're much more special. Aw don't' make that sad face her death was quick, one much quicker than the one Arthur had planned for her." She stated as she moved even closer.

Merlin raised his hand and tried to think of a spell, his mind was completely blank except for the cold fear that swirled around it. The old hag's eyes quickly flashed a gold hue and she was suddenly standing behind Merlin, her breath on his neck making the hairs there stand up. The young warlock desperately turned around and tried to move back as his eyes widened. Her raggedy hand shot up and her long bent fingers tightened around his neck, her yellowed nails digging into his skin. Merlin brought his hands up and against them trying to loosen the deadly grip they held.

"You have no idea how delighted I am to finally have you all to myself." The old hag laughed barring her crooked teeth as her body started to twist and contort. Her grip tightening even more as more of her laughter shook from her chest and filled the woods, now with a much younger note. Merlin looked on unable to move as her hair grew and turned blacker then the color of the night sky and her fingers nails extended cutting into his skin, small trails of blood spanning downwards to his back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally Evelyn is dead, yay! Her death went through a lot of revisions and changes until I settled on this one. Here we see her lose all her humanity (if she ever had any) and all that is left of her is an angry shell unable to grasp the fact that her own actions lead her to this. We also start to understand the old hag's plan and who or what she really is. Two more chapters to go.


	23. Standing for Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A small warning though, there is a lot of tossing about that takes place, action scenes aren't my strong point and there is one heck of a cliffhanger. Also keep in mind as you read that I love to torture these boys. About who or what the old hag is, notes on that at the end.

Arthur pushed his horse at a deadly pace, its hooves tearing into the ground and grass as it tore through the woods with Gwaine and the rest of the Knights close behind. The words Gaius had spoken still ringing in his ears. "He is gone sire." There had been no time for explanations or need for clarification, the look on the distraught physician had said it all. Arthur signaled for them to spread out, his heart threatening to beat out of his chest at the thought that he would never see Merlin again.

XXX

Merlin continued to stare as the old hag's skin stretched and retracted, her wrinkles disappeared and her eyes turned the deepest colors of emeralds. Her skin was now ivory and pale, the old hag had transformed into a beautiful young woman in mere seconds. "Do you like my real form Merlin? Do I please you?" the woman asked as she slowly released her grip on his throat and moved back to provide a better view, a strand of her long raven hair falling unto her face, hiding some of her delicate features. She slowly brought her hand up and licked the blood on the tips of her long slender fingers.

"You do taste quite delicious." The witch said as the sound of a bird screeching sliced through the trees behind her, the pure sound of it making a wicked grin appear on her lips. "Gehaeftan," Merlin's eyes flashed gold as the word escaped his lips and huge roots shot out from the ground, rustling as they moved across the grass and wrapped around the witch, tightening and pulling at her in every direction. His eyes turned gold once more and the roots tightened even more, a hideous cry pierced the air as they cut into her, tearing into her clothes and skin.

The witch's eyes changed from green to gold and the roots snapped into pieces, falling to the ground in a heap of dust near her feet. Blood seeped from her cuts and soaked into her clothes as she moved towards Merlin, part of a marking on her waist showing through the torn material. There was a glimmer of recognition in the young warlock's eyes; he had seen that marking too many times before to forget. "You're a druid!" Merlin exclaimed as he backed into a tree, surprised at his discovery and yet it all started to make sense.

"What is it that you hope to get out of attacking Camelot?" Merlin found himself asking, his hand once more extended towards her, a spell just on the tip of his tongue.

"Why do you think Merlin? I want you!" The woman replied as she stepped closer still, her eyes flashing a golden color. "Join me."

Merlin's eyes turned gold as the voices filled his mind, he grasped his head and tried to push them aside. "Get out of my head," The young warlock screamed as he raised his gaze towards her sending the witch flying backwards through the air. She landed on the ground with a loud thump and remained still, leaves fluttering around her. Merlin walked back the way he had come, but before he could take more than three steps he was thrown backwards towards a tree. He slammed into it and fell to the ground half unconscious, Arthur's seal falling from inside his jacket to roll a few inches from where he lay.

XXX

Gwaine moved through the trees, sword drawn and on foot. The woods had gotten too dense and it was impossible for them to continue on horse. The rest of the knights followed close behind, the woods buzzing with their movement. Gwaine could feel his muscles tighten at the thought of his friend being hurt or worse. The brave knight shook the thought out of his mind and stared ahead of him, making sure to keep the hot headed King in his sights.

Arthur moved forward, every step as cautious as the next and his eyes diligently scanned the woods for any sign of his manservant. He had to hold back every desire to toss caution to the wind as the dread refused to subside. A guard whistled to the side of him, giving the sign that he had found something. Arthur and Gwaine quickly made their way to where the knight stood.

They came to a halt around a small clearing, the smell of blood faint but definite. Arthur's stomach tightened as his eyes fell on the bloodied sword lying near the root of a tree. "The blood is old, it isn't Merlin's." Gwaine reassured the King as his eyes fell on the sword before continuing onward. Before Arthur had the chance to follow Gwaine, another knight spotted something in the grass nearby and raised it up towards the King.

"Sire…" The Knight rushed towards Arthur with Merlin's travel bag in his hands, it was tattered and dirty, but still tightly closed protecting its belongings. Arthur sheathed his sword, grabbed it and unclasped the belt, opening the flap to reveal the edge of a book hidden among Merlin's clothes.

Gwaine spotted two sets of fresh tracks leading further ahead and he followed, not waiting for Arthur or the rest of the men. He reached what appeared to be a slope leading downwards, a short distance away a glimpse of red and brown caught his attention and he quickly called out to Arthur.

The young King was about to rummage through the contents to assure himself that the bag was Merlin's when he heard Gwaine call him, he quickly dropped the bag and all its contents, it fell back to the grass with a solid thump. Arthur unsheathed his sword, signaled for his men to follow, and rushed in the direction Gwaine had gone, completely ignoring the book that had slipped further out of its wrappings.

XXX

Merlin slowly stirred to full awareness and looked around, trying to quite the buzzing in his head. His eyes fell on the seal near his feet and his fingers tenderly wrapped around it carefully before rising to his feet. Merlin found he was alone; he moved away from the tree and laughter suddenly echoed at the back of his mind and seemed to spill out to every tree around him.

 _"Arthur doesn't want you Merlin; he cast you aside as soon as he learned of the enchantment. His confessions of love were nothing but empty words in the wind, soon forgotten and meaningless."_  The witch's voice resided inside his mind as he looked around, but could still not find her.

 _"I would never abandon you. Come with me and together we can be unstoppable. Our magic will be feared and loved by all."_  Her voice in his head continued to say before becoming silent once more. Another noise entirely different made Merlin turn around with his hand up, ready to cast a spell, and his eyes fell on Gwaine. The young warlock was filled with both relief and confusion as he took in the sight of his friend in full armor with sword in hand.

"Merlin," Gwaine spoke as he quickly sheathed his sword and took his friend into his arms, hugging him tight enough to ensure he wasn't hallucinating. "Don't you ever go wandering on your own again or talk of leaving." The knight exclaimed as he smacked Merlin on the back for added effect, a grin reaching his lips. More rustling behind Gwaine had Merlin forgetting about trying to ward him off and his heart almost stopped as his eyes fell on Arthur.

"Arthur…" Merlin whispered as he continued to stare into the blue abyss of Arthur's unforgettable eyes, tears threatening to run down his face. The young King's face was unreadable as he moved towards Merlin, sword still in hand. The rest of the knights stepped out of the trees and moved to join them only to be tossed back into the surrounding trees and stumble to the ground dead.

Merlin turned around and caught the last glimmer of gold escape the witch's eyes as she brought her hand back to her side. "We weren't done talking Merlin and I won't stand for any interruptions." The witch said as she eyed Arthur and Gwaine with a distasteful look. Gwaine rushed at her, swung his sword with every intention to deliver a deadly blow, and was brought to an abrupt halt. The witch's eyes shimmered gold once more and he was tossed backwards, his sword flying out of his grasp.

"No…" Merlin screamed as his own eyes turned the same color and Gwaine fell to the ground unhurt, except for the wind being knocked out of him the reckless Knight was alive. Gwaine stumbled to get to his feet and fell clumsily back down on something hard. He looked down at his blood covered hand and was met with Evelyn's dead body; her empty eyes seemed to leap out of her pale white face, the sharp wound on her chest completely covered in blood along with part of the ground where she lay.

The witch smiled at the carelessness of the young warlock, his beloved King had moved Merlin behind him with the intention of adding space between them and had almost caught the change in his eyes. Her livid eyes moved over the King's defensive stance and his sword before stopping at his neck. With a single thought she had him gasping for air; he fell to his knees clutching at his neck as his sword fell to the grass next to him. Before Merlin could react with his magic, the witch let out a scream as Gwaine's dagger cut through her shoulder and dug into her flesh, her spell interrupted, the King fell to the ground unconscious.

The witch stared in pure disbelief at the hilt of the dagger sticking out of her partly concealed shoulder and she sluggishly pulled it out, blood gushing from the wound. Her anger rose as the pain dissipated and with one swift movement sent it flying towards her attacker. Gwaine fell back against a tree as the dagger pierced his chest; a single moan of pain escaped his lips as he slid back down to the ground. The Knight placed his hand around the dagger, giving it a tug as he tried to pull it free, eyes closed in an attempt to ward the pain off. Merlin kneeled next to his fallen King, his gaze towards the witch, as he send her flying through the air once more and her head cracked against a fallen log.

"If you won't come with me then I have no choice. I will destroy everything you hold dear and devour your flesh; your blood will soak these woods and your bones will serve as nourishment for the wild beasts of these woods." The witch declared to Merlin from where she lay as her body once more started to transform, the black cloak merged with her body, twisting and seeping into her skin becoming huge scaly feathers. Her hair grew longer still, almost past her feet, swaying back and forth like a tail.

Hideous black feathery wings spouted from her back tearing at her skin and muscles; they extended upwards and hovered just above her shoulders. Her elongated fingers snapped and contorted, the sound of their cracking stifling the air as they became longer and sharper, her huge nails closely resembling bird like claws. The bird-like creature she had become took to the air, gusts of wind swirling under its large wings.

Merlin found himself on his back, a ways off from Arthur's still body, as the creature dug its claws into his chest; the pain ran through his body as blood started to seep from underneath the blackened fingers digging further into his flesh. The witch moved a clawed hand towards Merlin's neck and pushed his face further into the ground, moving his chin upwards and prying his mouth open as she screeched with pure fury. Her sharp teeth parted as her mouth hovered above the young warlock's just as his eyes flashed gold.

Arthur stirred and moved to get up; a look of horror crossed his face as he looked upon the birdlike creature clinging to Merlin's thin frame. A blue thin light slowly escaped his manservant's lips to float into the still somewhat human mouth of the creature. Arthur's face filled with a greater frightening expression as he quickly rose to his feet and grasped his sword. The young King moved with a grace that reflected all the years of combat training, he ran the creature through, his sword pierced mercilessly through the creature's thick hide slightly missing its heart.

A deadly screech cut through the darkening woods as the witch released her grip on Merlin. The young warlock rolled to his side as he clung to his wound and tried to breathe. Arthur was beside him, their eyes met briefly before the King moved his gaze towards the witch lurching on the ground, sword still stuck on her feathered back. "Arthur…" Merlin said slowly as Arthur looked back to him and moved the injured young warlock to his feet, one hand clinging to his wound. "Don't say anything, save your energy." Arthur calmly said, his voice hiding the true state he was in as he looked at his beloved manservant.

Before Merlin and Arthur could make their way towards Gwaine, who was still leaning on a tree with partly opened eyes, blood falling from his own wound, they were thrown across the small clearing when one of the wings opened frantically trying to pry the sword from its place. "My Lord no matter how much I would love to see you fall for Merlin now isn't the time." Gwaine teased as he slowly rose to his feet and moved to retrieve his sword laying a few ways off. The witch managed to free the sword from her back and screeched again at the pain emitting from it.

She turned to Arthur, her eyes hard as ice and her lips parted to let out another deadly screech as she took to the air once more, her wings flapping gusts of wind underneath them. Arthur was tossed away from Merlin by the pure force of it. "I will show you the grave error you have made Merlin." The witch spoke as she rushed towards Arthur; another painful screech escaped her lips as she lost her flight and tumbled down towards the ground near the King's feet. Her face twisted to look back at the young warlock and the faded glint of gold in his eyes.

Merlin's nightmare flashed in his mind as the witch partly rose and clawed her way towards Arthur, her fingers digging into the dirt with great vigor. Arthur rose to his feet and tried to move back, the witch was soon upon him and her claws dug into his armor clasping his chainmail as if it was thin fabric.  _"I showed you that vision as a warning, but now you will really see your King die as I rip his heart out."_ The witch spoke into his mind as the chainmail bent and snapped to provide access to the delicate flesh it protected underneath.

Arthur tried to set himself free as her nails ripped into his skin and threatened to slice him open. Merlin tried using his magic, but the image in his mind overwhelmed his concentration. Gwaine was upon the witch and dug his sword into her before he fell back to the ground and lost consciousness, having lost too much blood of his own. Still her hold on Arthur did not loosen.

"Baerne" Merlin whispered as he managed to block the images the witch was sending into his mind in an attempt to throw off his magic, his eyes turned golden and the sorceress began to twist and screech, letting go of Arthur as her transfigured body started to burn; the smell of burnt feathers filled the darkening sky. She clawed at the ground and started to turn back into her human form, in too great a pain to maintain her transformation any longer.

The fire died down to reveal her partly burned flesh and fragments of cloth desperately clinging to her body. The witch rose slowly to her feet, her eyes glued on Merlin, but before she could take a painful step the young warlock pushed the sword deeper into her delicate burned body. She clung to his bloodstained shirt as he pulled it out, the blood on it dripping down to the grass.

"I did this all for you Merlin, it was always for you." The witch gasped as she kissed him on the lips, her poisoned laced lips sealing their fate.  _"Emrys remember my name, Alleyen, for when we meet in the afterlife."_  Her weak voice echoed lovingly in his mind as she slipped down to the ground, gasping for the last time before her body stood completely still.

Merlin felt the poison spreading through his body, making the wound in his chest bleed even more. He clung to his chest as he made his way towards the dying Arthur and held his head in his legs, running a bloodied hand through the blond hair. "I love you Arthur and I know you will be a great King, a King this land needs." The young warlock whispered into his beloved King's ear before placing his hand on Arthur's wound. " _Gestathole! Thurhhaele!"_ Merlin's eyes turned gold as his magic poured from his fingertips and through Arthur's body sealing the wound. He gently laid Arthur's head back on the ground as he stumbled to his feet and made his way to Gwaine.

"Arthur," Gwaine struggled to say as he tried to regain what little strength he had and open his eyes. "He's an idiot, but he really cares for you Merlin, more then he leads on." The loyal Knight admitted as he moved a hand over Merlin's, which rested on his slowly rising chest, and gave it a small squeeze before his eyes started to close. " _Gestathole! Thurhhaele!"_ Merlin whispered as his teary eyes turned gold and as before his magic surged through his fingers and started to heal Gwaine's wound.

"Thank you my friend." Merlin said as he rose to his feet, his sight wavering, and staggered away from the small clearing. His legs gave way and he leaned against a tree, moving around it as his feet stumbled on one of its roots. The young warlock slid down to the ground, his back against the harsh wood and his hand lightly pressing against his wound. With the last of his strength, Merlin cast his final spell.  _"Purhhaele dolgbenn!_ " His eyes shimmered gold before his eyelids slipped close and his hand fell to his side, limp and motionless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to say that the old hag isn't Morgana, though I really loved that idea. I had already planned on her being an OC. Reason being I was going to have her turn into some type of creature who still had some human resemblance before killing her off. The creature itself went through a lot of revisions, first she was going to be a Veela/Nymph and then the idea of a Strix/Striga seemed more fitting (Gaius will explain what she turned into in the last chapter just giving you guys a heads up on it in case you were wondering what she was). But for those who were really hoping Morgana would be the bad person here know that she will be in the sequel. Yay!


	24. Nature's Tears

A moan escaped Arthur's lips as he moved to sit up, running a stiff hand over his face and through his hair in an attempt to recall what had happened. His eyes fell on his bloodied hand and torn armor, a million questions boggling his mind as he noticed the wound was gone. The young King quickly bolted to his feet as he searched for Merlin, his eyes landed on Gwaine. He grabbed his sword and quickly moved towards the knight just as he was also stirring back to consciousness.

"Where's Merlin?" Arthur asked as he helped the dazed Knight to his feet and was met with a clueless stare that soon became one of worry, very much like his own. Their eyes fell on the dead body of the witch, the severe burns and wounds all over her body providing proof of the battle that had taken place and of how close they had come to death. Arthur turned once more to search for Merlin, his eyes resting on the fallen Knights.

Gwaine reached for his sword, moved towards the witch and swung it with renewed strength, a small trail of blood appeared on the dead witch's neck before her head fell to the ground, completely separated from its body. "You can never be too sure." The Knight seriously replied as Arthur shot him a blank stare and then looked back at the severed head.

He quickly stepped back as the body started to dissolve, melting into the dirt at a surprising rate, only the remaining pieces of what had been her black cloak and robe lay in the darkened dirt. "That's just gross." Gwaine exclaimed picking up a boot and scrapping it on the grass, trying to remove some of the gunk that had managed to cling to it. Suddenly it started to rain; small droplets fell on their faces as the trees sang with glee for the long needed moisture.

"Check for survivors." Arthur ordered as he made his way past the small clearing, towards the denser parts of the woods, catching sight of footprints that led in that direction. Gwaine quickly moved from one Knight to the next, but found none, they were all dead. The worry for his friend started to consume his thoughts once more and Gwaine looked around, his eyes frantically jumping from one tree to the next, from one patch of ground to its adjacent brother.

Arthur's heart broke in half as his hopeful eyes fell on Merlin's limp form. He rushed to his side, almost losing his ability to walk, kneeled and slipped his arm under Merlin's back, bringing the young warlock against his heavy chest. "Merlin…Stay with me Merlin….Merlin" Arthur yelled at the still closed eyes of his manservant, his armor now soaked in Merlin's blood as he tightened his hold

He gently shook Merlin in an attempt to wake him, but to no avail, his wet face was still motionless. Arthur rested his forehead on Merlin's, his body shaking from the sobs that ransacked through his composure like nothing. The despair that enveloped his entire being was more than he could bear and he let out a scream that rang loud and desperate, one of a man who had lost it all in a blink of an eye.

Gwaine's eyes fell on the seal laying silently on the ground, and slowly picked it up unsure what to do with it. He moved towards where Arthur half kneeled, half sat with Merlin in his arms, his own heart giving way at the unwanted truth of losing his only true friend. Memories of when Merlin had first clumsily entered his life and branded himself in his heart, forging an undying friendship, ran through Gwaine's mind and threatened to topple the noble Knight to the ground. His eyes ran over Merlin's thin frame almost lost in the other's overpowering frantic embrace.

"Arthur, I think it would be best if we…" Gwaine started to say, taking note of the rain quickly picking up speed and the darkness spreading through the woods. He left what he was trying to say unfinished when Arthur's painful eyes rose to meet his before scanning Merlin's pale face for signs of life. The unmistakable regret on the young King's face silenced him instantly and he just stood there, allowing him his final partings.

"Come on Merlin, you promised to be by my side always." The broken King lightly spoke as his lips grazed Merlin's and fresh tears fell upon his cheeks blending with the rain droplets already soaking his face. Arthur ran a shaken hand across Merlin's delicate face clearly remembering how it had looked with a smile grazing his beautiful features. "Merlin, please…" his next words failing to leave his lips as Merlin's eyes slowly stirred and gradually opened, showing a faint hint of the shine that was always there.

"Arthur…" Merlin's dry throat managed to say as he parted his lips to take a shallow breath. That single word seemed to stop time itself as Arthur's eyes held on to every small rise and fall of Merlin's chest, and the warmth gradually seeping back into his body. "Did I ever tell you how much of a clod pole you are?" The young warlock quietly teased as he lifted a tired hand to faintly stroke his King's face. Arthur kissed him and placed his own hand over Merlin's cold fingers, refusing to let go.

Their kiss was shortly lived as Merlin lost what little consciousness he had managed to acquire. "I think it would be best if we get Merlin back to Gaius and have him checked out." The Knight said clearing his throat as he handed Arthur the seal and sheathed his sword. "Also it probably would be best if I carry him." Gwaine declared as he moved to pick up Merlin, to only set him back down as Arthur's hand clasped hard on his arm.

"You can carry my sword." Arthur ordered as he jammed it into the Knight's stomach, carefully swung Merlin over his shoulder and made his way up the slope towards their horses. Gwaine grinned at the ever stubborn Arthur and then followed closely behind making sure to remember where his fallen comrades lay. He halted as his boot nudged against something on the wet grass; he quickly gathered Merlin's bag, pushed its contents back inside, glancing only for a few seconds at the book, and hurried towards the retreating figure of Arthur and Merlin.

XXX

Merlin woke with the sunny rays of a new day beaming through the open curtains to find himself in Arthur's bed, a sleeping Gaius sitting in a chair at one side of it. "Gaius…" He called out groggily as he nosily smacked his lips together and looked around the room for Arthur, waking the sleeping physician in the process. Merlin moved to sit up, but Gaius stopped his movements with a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Arthur…?" The young warlock asked as his eyes filled with worry and dread at the thought that his magic hadn't worked.

"He is fine and so is Gwaine. You need to rest." The physician stated as he stepped back to get a small cup of water and slowly pressed it against Merlin's lips, lifting his head slightly to ensure he didn't choke as he drank. Gaius set the now empty cup down on the table and turned to face the young warlock.

He handed Merlin a small vial. "This should help with the stiffness." He said before sitting back down on the chair. "You're lucky to be alive Merlin a Strix or Striga as some have been known to call it is a very powerful magical creature that devours human flesh and sucks the life-force of those it feeds upon." Gaius explained as he took his glasses off and held them in his hands nervously.

"If she had sucked more of your essence you would have surely died." He continued, shifting slightly in his chair, finding his old age not as placid as it used to be. "She must have been one very powerful sorceress to be able to turn herself into a Strix."

"She was a druid," Merlin said as it was his turn to inform him friend on what he knew. He winced as he moved up and rested his back on the headrest. "She said her name was Alleyen, have you ever heard of it before Gaius?" The young warlock asked, staring into the blank face of his friend before uncorking the vial and drinking its contents.

"No, I'm afraid I haven't, the druids are growing in numbers. I'm glad you're ok Merlin." Gaius replied with a smile and gently tapped Merlin's hand before taking the empty vial back. The door opened loudly as Arthur stepped inside, his hardened eyes landed on the wide awake Merlin and they softened, his relief showing clearly on his face.

"Sire," Gaius greeted as he rose to his feet, nodded at the King, and moved past him out the door, closing it quietly behind him after giving one last final glance at his patient. Arthur moved to the bed and laid a hand gently on Merlin's arm, giving it a tight squeeze. He moved further up the bed, closer to Merlin as he dared, and cleared his throat.

"I haven't been very fair with your feelings and never bothered to ask how you were affected by all this. If I ever forced myself on…" Arthur stated as his eyes wandered to his hands and his manservant's slim fingers resting on them. Merlin moved away from the headrest and brought his other hand to Arthur's face, tenderly caressing it.

"There was never a moment I didn't long for you." His words full of love and understanding snapped the last strand holding the King's feelings back. Arthur pressed his lips against Merlin's with great vigor as all the pent up feelings finally rushed out. "I love you Merlin," Arthur moaned as he pulled Merlin closer to him and shoved his tongue deeper into his mouth. Soon they were both gasping for breath, the need for air breaking them apart.

"Arthur…I love you," Merlin managed to say between gasps of pleasure brought on by Arthur's lips tracing down his neck. He felt Arthur gently bite his collarbone before running his tongue across it, soothing the bruised skin there. The hands tugging at his shirt, sliding across his pale skin made the heat in his thighs unbearable and Merlin found himself squirming under the sheets. The young King stared at Merlin's eyes and chuckled at the redness forming on his cheeks.

"One would think there would be nothing for you to be shy about Merlin; after all I know every part of your body like every corridor of this Castle." Arthur mocked as he pushed Merlin down and pried his legs apart with his own to rest his hot body in-between them. "Then you don't know me at all Arthur." Merlin teased as he tugged Arthur closer to him, their bodies entwining in the sheets.

"No one likes a clever clog Merlin." Arthur replied as he silenced his manservant the best way he knew how. He kissed Merlin hard and feverously as he tugged at his trousers, bringing them down his legs, the need to press his naked body against Merlin's reaching a new high. Soon Arthur had their clothes all scattered over the floor and their naked flesh rubbing against each other. Suddenly Merlin found himself staring at the lustful eyes of his King and moaning in protest at the void of his touch.

"Are you ok to…?" Arthur asked moving back a little more as his eyes moved downwards to look at the soft delicate skin that had haunted him every waking hour since he had found out about the enchantment. "I'm fine Arthur, I won't break." Merlin said as his eyes matched the lust in his King's eyes and pulled him towards him.

There was no need for anymore exchange of conversation as Arthur nudged Merlin's legs apart once more, slipped a hand under his hips bringing them upwards and thrust deep inside. Merlin let out a more intense moan at the intrusion and wrapped his legs around his lover's hips, bringing Arthur's hard hot cock even deeper into him. Arthur struggled to keep his thrusts slow, taking care not to hurt Merlin.

The young King was quickly loosing himself in the unadulterated pleasure only his manservant could give him. The tightness and heat inside Merlin were overwhelming. His thrusts became harder and faster as his control to go slow disappeared with the mesmerizing sight of Merlin wet and hot underneath him. Merlin moved his hips to match Arthur's thrust and clung desperately as he came even nearer to reaching his climax.

Arthur's moans reached his ears and he tightened his grip on his back, sinking his fingers into the tight skin and raising his hips even higher. One final thrust and they came, their breaths erratic and fast against each other. Arthur slowly pulled out and moved off the bed towards his dresser, his gorgeous naked body making Merlin's lower body heat up again. The King reached into his dresser and moved back to the bed, his closed hand hiding what he carried.

Merlin quickly hid his naked body below the sheets, still shy at the realization that Arthur did in fact love him, enchantment or not. Arthur chuckled at the redness in Merlin's cheeks and sat back on the bed bringing his hand forward; slowly opening it to reveal a ring hanging on a simple but elegant golden chain. He took the chain and brought it around Merlin's delicate long neck, securing the chain and letting it hang loosely.

"I haven't said what my answer is." Merlin teased as he looked down at the ring now resting against his slow rising chest, the silver a clear contrast to his ivory skin. He moved it between his fingers before letting it rest once more against his chest.

"I already know what it is." Arthur sheepishly replied kissing him passionately on the lips and pushing him back to the bed, fully hard and hot for his manservant. He ran his hand down Merlin's chest, caressing the ring before moving further down and wrapping his fingers around Merlin's hard shaft. "I've always loved you Merlin." Arthur whispered into his ear as Merlin moved his hips upwards, rubbing against Arthur's hard and throbbing shaft.

XXX

Gwaine stood in Merlin's room, hesitant by the bed unsure whether to set the bag down, and with one final glance back to the door opened it. His fingers wrapped around the heavy book as he pulled it out, the rest of the bag falling to the ground near his feet as his gaze fell on the front cover. The Knight sighed deeply; his fingers softly graced the bindings and hovered over the two big clasps before flipping them open.

"This is a book of magic…" Gwaine declared with both surprise and confirmation at his suspicions, turning the pages carefully. He quickly closed it and stuffed it back into the bag, laying it in the bed like he had originally planned to do. Running a hand through his hair he exited Merlin's room, giving one last glance back at the bed, and moved to the door. Gaius entered and looked up at the Knight, shocked to see him there. "I came to drop off Merlin's things." Gwaine said as he nodded to the physician and took his leave, missing the look of pure confusion on the old man's face.

He tried to clear his head at what he had just seen, not able to make much sense of it still. Then a faint memory he had pushed aside as a figment of his near death came rushing back. The last words he had heard Merlin speak just as a small jolt ran from his wound to the rest of his body. Gwaine halted in the corridor and brought his hand to his lips as he connected the dots. He gave a small chuckle before continuing on.

Gwaine entered the armory and was met with Percival and Leon trying to decide what weapon to use in today's training session. The rouged Knight moved towards them, a small smile on his face at the realization that everything was finally how it should be. The door opened and Sir Elyan, the last Knight of the round table, stepped in.

"Did I miss anything interesting while I was away?" The clueless Knight asked as he picked a sword from the rack and brought it to eye level to inspect it. Gwaine walked over to him, put his arm around his shoulders and gave him a good shake. "Where to begin…" Gwaine jokingly said as they made their way to the training grounds, laughter quickly filling the corridors.

XXX

Merlin rose to his feet and moved to the window, opening it; he stared down into the courtyard and breathed in the morning air. Arthur wrapped his arms around Merlin's waist, giving his trousers a small tug. Merlin slowly pressed himself closer to Arthur, letting the warmth of his bare chest spread through his own body and rested his head on his King's shoulders, his eyes still on the damp courtyard below.

"What are you doing up?" Arthur asked as he nibbled on Merlin's ear and then moved down his exposed neck to kiss the thin chain there. Merlin answered with a playful smile and squeezed Arthur's arms gently. The young King looked out the window and then at Merlin's ring resting neatly against his naked chest. "Do you think things will calm down now that the rain has returned?" Merlin asked as he played with the ring hanging on his neck, the smooth curves of it soothing his mind a bit.

"I think Camelot will be just fine." Arthur assured his beloved manservant as he kissed him on the lips. The rain started to drizzle once more, slowly picking up the pace and filling the air with its fresh scent. Merlin and Arthur turned back to the window, the sound of the rain pattering against the stone walls serving like music to their ears.

Merlin stuck a hand out the window and looked in amazement as the droplets landed on his skin. Arthur moved closer to Merlin, hugging him even tighter and smiled as together they watched the rain pour down giving them an unspoken promise of the great things that were to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really found it hard to finish this story, I didn't want it to end and was scared it wouldn't be a good enough ending. The good thing is that a sequel will come of it and therefore its end is just the beginning of more adventures for these two. Also about Gwaine finding out, I was leaning towards a reaction much like Lancelot's but sweeter. Gwaine's and Merlin's friendship is very special and I believe that he only sees Magic as wrong because that is what Arthur believes, so when he found out Merlin had magic he couldn't see his friend in a bad light. Merlin is simply Merlin to him and having magic wouldn't change that, plus he knows he saved his life with it. Thank you all for reading my first Merlin fan fiction and hope you will come back to read more of my works.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is being translated to French by the wonderful and talented LapinMalin. French translation can be found here http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8298739/1/Philtre-damour


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